Vanagloria

What a masterpiece this fragrance is. It’s a challenge to interpret, to capture everything its artistry can evoke. Incense, vanilla, sacred, and profane—but there’s more, something deeper that draws you in. Every ingredient is measured to the milligram, like the brushstrokes of a master painter. The air is warm and thick, like an embrace that fills every corner of an abandoned church, where the dim nave light casts deep shadows. In the back, amidst the mysterious twilight, stands a beautiful, sensual woman, blonde with porcelain skin, emerging from the darkness. She wears a wide-brimmed black hat that conceals part of her face, but her sharp, elegant features peek through. The fragrance’s intensity mingles with the profane, intriguing atmosphere, like a secret dance that challenges the sacredness of the place. The scene is an ode to mystery and desire, suspended between the divine and the earthly. After a few hours, the fragrance settles into a pure, high-quality vanilla absolute that fills the air, strong and intense, like a whisper that never fades. The incense, now softer, leaves behind a trail of warmth and passion, like an indelible memory. The atmosphere thickens with timeless sensuality, an echo of desire that lingers, filling every space with its intensity as the vanilla continues to drift through the air, like a secret promise. Once again, Ropion’s artistry shines through.

Today is my second day wearing this. It puzzles me still at every spray. The opening of this one is very diabetic. Imagine caramelized pineapple soaked in vanilla custard which is delicious. But the incense makes it more dense and gives unbearable weight to the opening. I can only spray this on my arms or on the back of my neck. I won’t have the guts to spray this on my chest because I know this will suffocate me. This sensation stays for a while which is quite a challenge. But the dry down is to die for. I kept sniffing my arm and smelling wafts of it in the air. As pretty as it is, I think I will declutter this one since this is too sweet and dense for my liking. I still don’t understand why a few people think that this leans masculine. Maybe I missed the trend of men loving ultra sweet fragrance. To me, this is unisex leaning feminine. UPDATE 5 December 2022 Oh my... I fell in love with this after a week of wear. The weather (0 deg Celcius) suits the vibe of the perfume too. I now spray this under my ear. Love this! I’m glad I didn’t declutter it. UPDATE 11 January 2023 Since we are facing a hot winter in Western Europe, I realized that this perfume is not the most versatile regardless of its beauty. So, I decided to sell it on eBay. My heart breaks but I need to make space for juices that I can wear most days of the year.

Stunning vanilla. Master perfumer Dominique Ropion, created an Ode to Vanilla with both creations: Babycat, and Vanagloria. With Vanagloria, the first minute you may think: it’s too sugary sweet, but it turns right at you into a smoky/incense note that mixed with the vanilla, balanced off the sweetness of the opening. If you can’t find Babycat, don’t stress over that and get Vanagloria. To put it simple. Imaging both, Babycat and Vanagloria are from the same house. Vanagloria would be an Eau de Parfum, and Babycat, a Parfum. Same scent profile, same perfumer, same longevity. Projection is where I can see the difference. Vanagloria has a great longevity, and projection. 4-5 sprays Longevity: 8-10 hours. Projection: 2-3 feet for 1.5-2 hours, then pull back to a personal bubble. On hour 6-7 it’s closer to the skin. If you spray on clothes, it lives for free for ad few days or until you wash your clothes. Babycat is a bit bolder, and goes straight to the incense. 4 sprays Longevity: +10 hours. Projection: 3-4 feet for 2-3 hours, then pull back to 2 feet on hour 3. After hour 6, personal bubble. On hour 8-9 it’s closer to the skin. Quality: both of them are A+ in quality. Why pay an arm and a leg, or follow the hype of Babycat, when you can get Vanagloria for half of the price? I own both, and this was my humble opinion.

This scent (and Sebastian from The Perfume Guy on YT) has opened my mind to incense fragrances! Vanagloria is the most gorgeous, sweet incense, ambery-vanilla fragrance with a touch of saffron I have ever experienced. Alongside Babycat by YSL. I have sampled both during a holiday in Milan a couple of times before deciding to purchase Vanagloria and I personally find them very similar, especially in the dry down. This must be hands down one of the best incense-vanilla scents ever created! I have chosen Vanagloria because of the cost! And fun fact, Vanagloria was actually created first by Dominique Ropion, not Babycat. If anyone was curious, Laboratorio Olfattivo didn’t dupe YSL with this perfume. I need to add though that on me Babycat lasted a bit longer. Vanagloria last and projects very well and it’s such an intoxicating smell that I had to have. The mix between the incense and vanilla is pure heaven, very addictive. This fragrance is sultry, alluring, sexy. 100% unisex, I wear it happily and my husband does it too. As a side note, I own Rosendo Mateu No5 and I find it a total different fragrance than Babycat and Vanagloria. Stunning scent for fall and winter season. Very good juice, one of the best, if not the best, gourmand incensy fragrance on the market. Only for incense and vanilla lovers!

The initial opening is a little eeew! very strong incense/saffron, which I don't hate but will tolerate,, this strong opening dwindles quite quickly . Oddly , I don't detect much in the way of pineapple in the opening so assume it is very fleeting. The vanilla is absolutely stunning with a hint of smokiness and that tonka peaking through.. The projection to this is pretty big and at present this is still going very strong 3hrs into the wear. This is a beautiful scent for winter / fall .. Vanagloria is reminscent of Lune Feline and Absolute Aphrodisiac, Vanagloria being much more kinder on the bank balance though. It is a rich opulent sultry smokey vanilla .. Totally unisex, I would love to smell this on my man ;) Update - this fragrance has HUGE staying power. it literally lasts all day and even after showering I could still detect it on my skin... lots of compliments with this