Diversity

I received Diversity years ago - decades, really - as a gift. Even back then, it struck a familiar chord: something in it immediately reminded me of Samsara. Of course, they have their differences, but Diversity shares that same soft sweetness and that unmistakable sensation of gently stroking the back of the mouth and throat - a velvety, almost tactile warmth that only certain perfumes manage to create. I was very young when I first owned it, and while I loved the similarities to Samsara, the differences made me long for "the real deal," so the bottle remained mostly untouched. Recently, during a cleaning raid through forgotten drawers and perfume corners, I rediscovered it - still full, still quietly waiting - alongside other long-lost treasures. And because I'm in full testing mode these days, I finally gave it the proper attention it deserved. What can I say? I now think Diversity was ahead of its time. It leans gourmand, with a surprisingly bold coffee note and a beautifully rounded tonka that adds depth and comfort. With some years and many scents since then under my belt, I'd now be more inclined to compare Diversity to Clinique Aromatics in Black - a perfume I've also compared to Samsara in the past. The pear note in Diversity is wonderfully perceptible, too. Paired with that almost creamy tonka, it sparks the same emotion and memory that Laura Biagiotti's Venezia used to evoke in me - a fragrance I miss dearly. Aromatics in Black gives me that same little tug of nostalgia, so yes: to my nose, these three share a certain kinship. I'm not sure whether Diversity is still in production - and if it is, reformulations have surely had their way - which makes me all the more delighted to have found this almost untouched bottle in my own collection. Sometimes the past hides small gifts, and sometimes they still smell unexpectedly beautiful.

This was my first favourite "big girl" perfume. It's an ultimate cozy cold weather scent, for me it's more gourmand, burned sugar, vanilla, tonka bean. It was my signature scent at winter. I still have half of a bottle, because it broke my heart, when it discontinued. I was never able to find a replacement, what's remind me to this.

Diversity's designation as a "fruity floral" perfume surprises me - all I get from applying this is a sticky-sweet floral with a huge vanilla emphasis that eventually devolves into a chili pepper snack. Not an aquatic or neon note in the whole thing. I've had this perfume for a while now, and I must say that it's the scent I use when I don't want to waste the others. We all have them; be honest! The bottle is beautiful, by the by.