Prada

Historically , Prada Amber was “created” by Mrs. Miuccia Prada with the help of notable perfumers in 2004, when she was seeking in her own words, “the memory of a scent she sampled as a teenager.” Mrs. Prada at sixteen would sneak into the bathroom in the house of her friend, whose mother originally owned the scent, only to smell it. She became obsessed with it. She’d go to New York to buy that perfume from the little artisanal shop on Madison Avenue called Shelley Marks , the only shop that offered it. But the shop at some point closed down—and this, for Mrs. Prada, was a disaster... So there came Prada Amber. It’s the scent she “still mostly wears today,” she admitted in an interview. It is then safe to say that Prada Amber is closest to Mrs. Prada’s heart. And to her character. Admittedly , Mrs. Prada is a reserved person. Unlike other designers who enjoy the crowd after their shows, Mrs. Prada barely reveals herself to the audience. She’s shy and nervous, elusive in interviews even. Despite that, she has driven the Prada name to the luxury fashion house it is today. In parallel, this is what Prada Amber’s scent seems to me. And to some other reviewers I read here. “It is weak,” “It does smell like a nice woman, but I cannot imagine a power woman wearing this,” some said. To me, Prada Amber doesn’t smell like a typical Miranda Priestly. But it does smell sophisticated. Its being juicy and dry makes it beautiful. It does have a staying power—lasting a decent amount of time for seven to ten hours—though sometimes it feels like it’s faded. It breaks the stereotype of a strong personality and implies that silence could mean power , while loudness could mean insecurity . Seasonally , I buy my mother her fragrances every other month or so, and for this season, I bought Prada Amber for her. Prada Amber Pour Homme Intense has been my favorite fragrance for a long time now, my signature, so maybe I wanted the same house for my mother. Christmas or Hanukah—whatever we call it—is a special occasion for most of us, so gifts should be just as special. And when I first sprayed Prada Amber, as noted by many, it reminded me of Jessica Simpson’s Fancy Nights, which I purposefully bought for comparison. Comparatively , the two fragrances resemble each other at a margin of 97 percent, a pretentious-sounding but instinct-driven figure by me. Much like identical twins sporting two different tastes. While Jessica Simpson’s Fancy Nights smells like a “dense amber the color of dark caramel,” Prada Amber is more light and airy. It smells like a “radiant amber the color of gold”—the kind that glows, or sometimes burns.

Its official name is Prada Eau de Parfum, but it ended up becoming better known as Prada Amber because of the top plate that it brings in its bottle, containing the key ingredients of the composition and the term AMBER, highlighted. It was released in 2004 and creates a lot of confusion between users and reviewers because of another (and much older) perfume called Prada by Prada, from 1990, at a time when the company only released fragrances for sale exclusively in its boutiques. Prada Amber does not have honey or ylang-ylang in its composition. And it also has no amber notes. The term comes from the olfactory family to which it pays homage: the ambery, full of oriental nuances and warm notes, as benzoin. And since I'm talking about notes, here go the ones that make this fragrance: bergamot, bitter orange, mandarin and mimosa absolute, at the top. Then, in the body of the fragrance, absolute of roses and absolute of the patchouli leaves from Indonesia. Lastly, in the base, labdanum from France, tonka bean, vanilla, sandalwood from India and benzoin resin from Siam. THE CORRECT NOTES ARE LISTED ABOVE, BUT THE PICTURES ARE DIFFERENT. The key ingredients engraved on the top plate are not idle there. The company argues that each of them reflects one dimension of the fragrance: the resin of labdanum is precious, the patchouli leaves are addictive, the benzoin is profound and the Indian sandalwood is pure. On the skin, Prada Amber is much more unisex than exclusively female. In fact, I dare say it would be an excellent version for the classic Le Male or, better yet, a feminine facet for the delicious Body Kouros. From the moment it touches the skin, it is exotic and sensual. The bitter orange cuts off any attempt to become a sickly gourmand. And this mix of something silky and bitter often scare many women. The patchouli is the star of the composition and manages to convey earthy and chocolate nuances, all at once. But none of this would have reason to exist without the milky aspect of sandalwood, which leaves the fragrance almondy and smooth. In the end, throw it all on a vanilla base and you'll understand the power of Prada Amber, which projects very well, but tends to cause a certain fatigue. The person wearing it may not feel it anymore, but it is there, projecting a lot. The lasting is also wonderful! In 2005, the company released an even more intense version and in 2006 the famous male version. Next time you think that all Prada fragrance is light, elegant and soapy, remember this review and think of experimenting on your skin. You might be surprised, just like me.

Obviously, I have not reviewed this one yet. I bought it a couple of years ago, when it was on sale for a very low price. It seems like my favourite saleswoman in that shop has just about the same taste as I do, and then she is always very nice and friendly as well. She has given me many very good tips over the years. She said that not all seem to like this fragrance, but she does. And I did. Even though, if it had not been for the very good price at that time, I might not have discovered how beautiful it is! And then, it actually took some time for me to really get to know it. I still was a little bit hesitant at first, couldn’t find out if I liked it a lot or just a little bit. The first period of time, I used to layer it with a natural ginger perfume I bought at the same time(100 Bon The & Gingembre), which I still sometimes do, and that combination is lovely. But with time, I realized just how absolutely gorgeous Prada Amber is on its very own. I tend to like, love and hunt after many older perfumes, classic beauties or a little weirder ones, but I also love many modern perfumes. Someone in the line called this a modern classic. And I totally agree! It does not feel dated at all. If anything, it reminds me of the 60:s(when I was a small child) - and the way I look at the 60:s, it is The First Modern Decade. Everything was so sleek and cool, so elegant, but with a humourous twist, somehow. I still use some clothes from the 60:s, that my mother, grandmother and sisters used to have, and I tell you, that they are good quality, and always come back to fashion. I always get compliments when I wear these clothes. And this fragrance is really like that. A modern classic yes, or a westernized oriental. So: it has come to my conclusion, that I LOVE this Perfume! ❤️ Not many fragrances are worthy the name Perfume for me. (Yeah yeah, I KNOW that the terms mean they are different concentrations, that’s what it is. But from me: this is an Honorable Mention Title.😌😉☺️). HOPE it will never be discontinued for lack of popularity!😱🤭😶 Must get a back-up bottle some time soon.

I love this. Well-crafted, balanced throughout its layers, and long lasting- though its final hours offer no throw, lying close to the skin instead. Exactly where I want it. For me, it wears well year-round, so long as not over sprayed. A dark citrus twinge blooms in the 95 degree, 100% humidity-filled summers here in my neck of the woods. In the winter, its amber, spice, & vanilla radiate a warmth that never veers into potpourri territory. I bounce mercilessly from fragrance to fragrance, but always return to Prada, especially when I want patchouli and amber delivered subtly. With regards to the Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights comparison; absolutely similar. I have & enjoy them both. But, to me, Prada captures the feeling of being inside a beautiful, deep forest. Its floor is a carpet of dew-drenched, patchouli-laced moss, intermingled with damp earth and fallen trees. JS' Fancy Nights is much drier than Prada to my nose. Instead of traveling deep into the forest and hovering an inch above the ground, FN is content to stay at the forest's edge, where the first few feet of earth and trees are still within reach of sunlight and wind. The papyrus and resulting dryness in FN amps up the bergamot, citrus, in a way that is absent on my skin with Prada. My preference depends on mood. FN is quite full-throttle. Prada is subtle, subterranean in comparison. Only ~5 of the fragrances in my collection do I become anxious as the levels drop low in their bottles, that I refuse to be without, and Prada is 1 of the 5. ❤️ EDIT: Should be sold with a Gremlins-like warning label: Morphs into a monster without proper care. This one is heavy on natural essences, sparse on synthetics and preservatives. Stable it is not. Time, oxygen, light and heat are its mortal enemies. More susceptible to them than any other fragrance I've come across. I've learned never to order it online during the summer. It never survives the trip. There is no mistaking when PA turns. Acrid and sour and a terrible shame. Just something to consider before buying: Requires TLC.

I had this curiosity about this fragrance and how people say this smells like coromandel, strange enough I didn't even have or smelled coromandel before. I live in a small city where we have limited offline access to big name fragrance, there was nowhere for me to sniff it except blind buy or buying decants. So I blind bought these two together. 100ml Prada Amber pour femme and a vial of Coromandel because I found a legit seller selling these in that variant. Tested both on paper strips and on skin. Let's just say, I don't know what to say hahaha...I think I got the new batch of Prada Amber, some commented it has been reformulated, because it sure doesn't smell like Coromandel, the older formulation maybe the same. On skin, yes I can see where the comparison comes from, it does smell a bit like Coromandel but Prada Amber is very very faint, to be fair, I only put 1 spray of both on each of my hands and I think if I sprayed more they could smell not really the same but at least a bit. Coromandel is very potent and Prada Amber is very faint. Both are beautiful fragrance on its own. If I don't compare this to Coromandel, this is actually a good fragrance. I don't know why Fragrantica change the name from Prada Amber to Prada Prada, I have been stalking this perfume since it was named Prada Amber on Fragrantica. My bottle looks exactly like the picture shared here and on the metal plaque, it's labeled as Amber. Prada Amber. Update: So I did another test, today I sprayed Prada Amber more, 5 sprays on my left hand and 1 spray of Coromandel on my right hand. The opening, it doesn’t smell like Coromandel at all, totally different scent. I carried on with my day and then the magic happened, an hour later...dang it’s Coromandel 2.0 😂😂😂. Now I get it, you need to overspray a bit to get the potent scent the Coromandel is. Aha..yes, Coromandel does smell like Prada Amber on steroid, because Prada Amber came out before Coromandel

Prada Amber was one of my earliest discoveries while getting into fragrance, and a couple years later I have a full bottle for my collection thanks to an excellent local sale. With it, I finally have a patchouli-forward scent, but this earthy and chocolate-like patchouli is so neatly integrated with the other notes that it's hard to tell where it stops and the labdanum, benzoin and sandalwood begin. Honeyed but not cloying, warm but not sweaty, with the illusion of powder conjured by clever artifice. Prada Amber opens with a brief burst of citrus that becomes nigh undetectable after just a few minutes, giving way to the core amber notes with some slight floral accents. The progression is fairly linear given the seamless blending, and I only really notice the sandalwood and vanillic benzoin as distinct notes when the patchouli has finally exited stage left. Performance is typical of EDP concentration, with good projection for some three hours; in the cooler season in which I am writing, it is detectable on the skin for at least eight hours. Prada designates this one for women, but a different brand could easily market this kind of scent as genderless or even masculine. To me, it is more generally evocative of well-deserved comfort in adverse conditions: a fur-lined coat in frigid weather, the return home after a long trip, a freshly-baked dessert to end a day of wholesome eating. Though imposing and rich in character, there is no sense of urgency or anxiety here. Little wonder that it is often perceived as mature.

Story time: I first sniffed this at a store when I was 10 or 11 years old and instantly fell in love. I did not care one bit that it was not remotely age appropriate (my other favorites were Dior's Poison and Coty Wild Musk...seems the more I've aged the less I've matured), I had to have it and requested it for Christmas. My dear father, who loves more "serious" perfumes and has since gifted me Chanel No. 5, No. 19, and Shalimar all before the ripe young age of 20, went ahead and bought me a 1oz bottle for Christmas. I was so overjoyed that I used the rest of my birthday money and allowance to buy him the men's version of Prada Amber. He found it to be too feminine, and let me keep the bottle, so I bathed myself in both forms of Prada Amber. Eventually, my grandmother sniffed the women's Prada Amber on me, declared it her new love and even said it would replace her signature Estée Lauder Intuition. I gave her my bottle though almost immediately bought myself a new bottle because I missed it so much. Needless to say, it is my signature, a likely lifelong affair, and now even a family affair. I will forever be purchasing bottles for myself and my beloved grandma. Yes, my 21 year old self and my 81 year old grandma both wear this and it suits us both to a t, though we have similar taste in perfumes in general it seems (I also got her onto MAC MV3). Even my dad never fails to compliment either of us on this. What can I say? It is perfect.

I discovered this fragrance in 2007 and just fell in love. It's so well blended it just smells like luxury, it's so deep and strong but imo very feminine. I have never found something that remotely touches it. It's hard to tell if it's in the process of being discontinued but I've owned 4 bottles over the course of my life and I still go back to it from time to time. A lot of people say its "mature" but this is what I wore most of my 20's and its just the sexiest scent. However the formulation is very well blended in a way that it's hard to really depict the notes and not just smell the overall fragrance. This type of blending was very popular in the early 2000's. Perfumes like Coco Mademoiselle, Chanel Chance, Narcisco Rodriguez for Her. They are blended in a way that you aren't getting distinct notes as much as an experience of the same fragrance through different stages. Because of that I do feel like this scent (especially after revisiting it this year) it feels "dated" and not necessarily "mature". I do think this is a fantastic signature scent and if I ran into someone wearing it I would probably stop them to compliment it. I think for where I am at now and my body chemistry I find this to be too cloying and a bit to heady for me to wear as a daily scent. But it's still fantastic for holiday party when I want to feel ultra fancy.

So enchanting! I've received many...backhanded compliments from this one. Including: "You smell like a clean old lady", and "You smell like a cabinet with flowers in it"...and all of them added "but in a good way!", so I was naturally a bit insecure about wearing this besides in my home again, which is sad because this smells amazing on my skin and it's long lasting too, much better than any of my "going out" or "school" perfumes. Amber is obviously the key in this. Amongst all the other notes, it stands out. But it doesn't guide you away from change! This isn't too linear; it starts out with a slightly fruity opening, somewhat balsamic-woody middle, and very strong patchouli drydown...all while amber sparkles the brightest. Performance is good, nice sillage and longevity, definitely enough to be noticed. I agree so much with @livcantell, this smells like how my mom smells like without perfume too! Maybe that's why I find it so comforting and nostalgic. I'm not sure why, but it's definitely it.

It’s so hard to describe the smell of labdanum, but it’s easy to note once you know the smell. It creates an excellent tension in this sweat patchouli fragrance indicative of Miuccia’s designs and the cultural outlook of the time as the internet had not yet ruined everything. Like most first fragrances by a designer, this one was directed by Miuccia. The original version wasn’t available outside of the boutiques. Saks exclusively launched the fragrance (with a shower gel!) and it coincided with the short film of Daria Werbowy reading an excerpt from the Coptic text “The Thunder, Perfect Mind”. The fragrance really epitomises Prada as a brand. The citrus notes listed aren’t even noticeable on first spray, no idea where they are or where they go. The pink pepper, patchouli, labdanum and Tonka bean all sit even. The styrax benzoin is a little lower, giving an ending “oomph” to the Tonka. The rose and mimosa are not very pronounced but give some complexity—neither sit high.

The first time I smelled this perfume on somone, I practically tackled a stranger to find out what it was. I was a good 6-feet away from her and I just HAD to know what it was. After she realized I wasn't dangerous, rather earnestly intrigued, she reluctantly told me what it was. I wore it for years after that, and them I met the current man in my life who absolutely despises it because it reminds him of someone. Unfortunately I can now only wear this on the rare occasion he isn't around, and when I do I feel ELECTRIC and sexy. It's such a sultry and sophisticated acent. Initially it is VERY overwhelming, but it mellows nicely without actually changing. This is one perfume that doesn't change on my skin, which is VERY unusual for me. This has been my favorite years. I love all the incense-y notes of sandalwood, patchouli and musk. I feel like it's something an Egyptian goddess would have worn millenia ago. Sniffalicious.

It just floors me when I read "old lady-ish" about Prada (Amber). It smells very clear, despite it's complexities. It's exotic, sexy, and glamorous. I wear this when I project streamline fashion or a clean simple minimalistic style... or else for me, it can have that FUSSY feeling, not put together...or way to much stressing before actually going out. When wearing Prada (Amber) you're basically dressed from head to toe already so there is no need for fussing about. Confidence at times here is mistaken for "old" but it's a scent for those who know how to rock this, it has nothing to do with old lady what-so-ever so pay no mind to that. This is an expensive smelling thin stick incense and it's very runway. The scent itself is elegant, fresh and uncommon. It has a nice sillage, a good projection and the longevity is great. * I believe it's best worn during evenings and nights.

I wore this fragrance on a warm, rainy day and it smelled wonderful. It was a blind buy, and I just couldn't contain myself. This is very rich, almost gourmand, like heavy cream or butter that's smooth as silk. I don't like Patchouli in a scent but here it is beautiful and gives this perfume an earthy, chocolaty, deep quality. The opening herbal citrus notes are drop dead gorgeous and unlike other perfumes that share those notes, there is nothing medicinal or off-putting here. Even though some would say this really should be worn in the cooler months, it really shined in the warmth of the day. I found it to be a very warm and sensuous scent. Longevity is fantastic and silage is soft and enveloping. This is a love for me. Just want to add after looking at the This reminds me section, that I don't think this smells anything like Fancy Nights. Not even close.

This perfume is darn sexy. A very clean and sensual patchouli; indeed the best clean patchouli scent which still has a dewy, great depth. This scent is for a woman, I can't imagine it coming together with a pinky/girly attitude. I suggest that you avoid using it in confined or poorly ventilated spaces since it tends to get extremely strong blossoming on your skin. Once I had unknowingly worn this for a job interview only to find myself in a tiny, wardrobe like "office" with the person in charge -the owner of the art gallery. Needless to say, I couldn't get the job, the effect combined with my gothic looks as well... I think anyway my perception of art was (and is) way different, but I believe this juice has the potential to intimidate especially timid males. But since that's another thing which I am not after... well.

Soapy-chypre feeling with green, floral wafts yet also light sweet-spicy tones. I don't detect a certain notes pyramid, they play and mingle wonderfully for an exquisite olfactory experience. The patchouli in this is so fine without being a main note to me, the best I've ever smelled. I would gladly invent " chypre-gourmand" category. Seems light at first, although it radiates very well, it lasts and intoxicates everything around, without getting overpowering. I love how it blooms the next days from my clothes. You can't do justice to this (or any) scent spraying it on paper or in the room :))). One's skin chemistry is the secret ingredient in each perfume. Lucky me here! It was the only scent I could tolerate while pregnant. That's why I'll always love it! Beautiful, unique, undisputable aristocratic scent.

Upon first application I was overwhelmed by benzoin and generic florals...no sign of the amber in the name or anything I could latch onto. I thought, "What's the big deal? How could this have so many loves?" Then about a half hour later I could see why this is so popular. Every note softened immensely to a creamy vanilla scoop of ice cream on my skin drizzled in honey with amber alongside a small dish of fresh fruits. Pretty amazing. There is nothing else like this in my collection. Not sure if I like this well enough to invest in a large bottle but it sure satisfies *this* gourmand-lover's sweet tooth in a gentle way. This might hit you over the head at the start but sit tight and let the slightly powdery drydown take you away on a dessert break. :)

I'am a guy and I love it! I don't understand why this perfume is not getting enough love from community? Nobody speaks about it! Everybody is praising Chanel Coromandel wich was released after Prada Amber... They smell very similar and the bottle design is fantastic and great quality. It's gorgeous milky patchouli, very unisex or let's say this is a scent beyond genders, it is what it is. I think it's getting discontinued? It's still available on Prada website, but Pour Homme version is gone... Anyway get a bottle while you can. I have been thinking how great where 90's 00's for fashion and perfume industries, very creative time and simplistic chic sexiness... Looking at you Gucci.

I received a sample of this when I purchased Prada Candy... I first I thought is was way to mature and almost immediately wanted to go wash it off. I was actually on the way to do so and something distracted me. Because of this, I was able to last to the dry down. OH WOW!!!!! So glad I did not wash this beauty way!!! It is absolutely lovely! The dry down on me is a honey vanilla patchouli that smells "slightly" similar to Guilty by Gucci. The sandalwood smoothes it all out and helps the honey and vanilla in giving that hint of sweetness. I typically do no like perfumes that are "balsamic", but I am LOVING this! Now to get my hands on a full bottle!

The opening of this fragrance is warm, woody (patchouli/sandalwood) with green notes that are not so much sharp as they are interesting--sorta herbal. The drydown the fragrance opens up to become a warm sensual powdery mix of amber and sandalwood with subtle florals. I adore sandalwood so this is my jam here. It is the best blended fragrance I've ever experienced. I don't get honey or bergamot on me. I definitely don't get chocolate like some other reviewers. Loved this fragrance so much I immediately purchased a backup bottle since it appears to be discontinued. So happy I was introduced to this amazing fragrance by YT.

I'm loving this! A beautiful beautiful earthy patchouli and mimosa. Light and elegant but casual and wearable. Probably the best fruitchouli I've smelled and definitely the best creation of Prada. There is a bit of a similarity between this and Fancy nights by Jessica Simpson but it is far from 'indistinguishable'. Fancy nights is fruitier, more citrusy and sweet. Which in combination with cedar and patchouli has this eccentric pungent accent that for some smells like 'urine'. Prada's Amber is different, more crisp, unisex and without the sweetness. In my opinion, far more skillfully composed perfume. Quite unique.