SOL Cheirosa ’62 Eau de Parfum

Before I became acquainted with the body spray & edp, I was expecting coconut milk to be a listed note in the ingredient list in the sunny Bum Bum fragrance; however it is actually a mix of pistachio & almond (on me the it is mostly almond), wrapped in a creamy vanilla and in the background I get a hint of something juicy - it reminds me of the guava in Believe. This beachy & bright blend lasts throughout the entire wear of Cheirosa '62. The salted caramel develops pretty early on and sandalwood things up a bit when it combines with the nutty & creamy blend - as the brand says, it's the same feel as walking into a cozy bakery crossed with a old fashioned sweet shop. The gentle bouquet of heliotrope, jasmine & orange blossom develop around the same time as the whisper of gauva pops back up. The longwearing nutty vanilla & caramel combine seamlessly with the sandalwood. I'm reminded of perfumes I've owned with 'hot sand' accords; these solar accords, together with the smooth base of sweet creaminess & nuts, together with a teensy bit of salt, all combines to bring to mind images of laying on a beach covered in coconut suntan lotion, with the ocean breeze carrying the lingering floral notes. I'm not going to lie; the decent 7/8 hour longevity and arms length aura isn't really that much better than the impressive power of the Sol De Janeiro body sprays - they seem really pricy for what kind of product they are at first glance, but they easily outlast quite a few perfumes.The individual scent notes in the edp are more defined, so the fragrance seems a bit different even though it has the same scent notes as the body spray, so there is some difference between the two formulas. If you enjoy Yum [Kayali], then you will most likely enjoy this; the pistachio in Yum is less sweet, the fragrance is richer thanks to a splash of rum & has slightly more noticeable florals, so if you like florals & a 'green' bite then go for Yum, but if you prefer very subtle florals & less bite in, fragrances go for Cheirosa '62 first.

I have done a real-time test on the longevity of both the body spray and the EDP (one squirt on each wrist), and I can confirm the sillage and longevity of the latter IS much better. The spray lasted just under an hour, the EDP lasted for three on me, while the sillage was probably double that of the spray. This fragrance isn't going to envelope you and last for 12 hours, but that's arguably because it's a light, sweet gourmand. The Black Orchids of this world will survive the apocalypse, but you expect that with heavily-spiced, winter fragrances. Now, down to the nitty gritty. This perfume is just lovely! It is a pistachio-led, coconutty gourmand. And yet, it has something almost ozonic/aquatic about it, likely from the salt. Combined though, this perfume smells like holiday. Its notes should be listed as experiences rather than individual scent components; this smells like outdoor swimming pools, bikinis drying in the sun on a balcony, tanning oil, baking hot roads, cocktails with umbrellas in them, sand. It's just gorgeous. Don't get me wrong, it's not a complicated scent. It just smells warm, happy and like summer. Let's move onto the cost side of things. 240ml of the spray mist is £32 in the UK, while 50ml of the EDP is £78 RRP over here. This means the body spray is 13p per ml, while the EDP id £1.56 per ml. This means the EDP is 12 times the cost. It lasts three times as long (on me at least) so perhaps this is a false economy. But despite this, I am still going to buy myself a full bottle of the EDP. Yes, frankly it is overpriced for what it is, but I really am willing to spend that money for three hours of stronger projection of that beautiful scent. It is a silly, frivolous purchase, but you will be glad you bought it. It's also the safest blind buy in the world, as I have no idea how somebody could dislike this. Go on, spend an even more ridiculous amount of money and treat yourself to the bum-bum cream too. Do everything you can in your power to amp up the smell of this stuff!

*review for stronger, re-formulated version* I had the 62 body spray (which I love) and finally decided to buy the EDP after I heard it had been reformulated. I never took the plunge prior because the longevity of the former version was not worth the difference in price. The reformulated EDP is fantastic. If you're a gourmand lover and have a hard time finding true gourmand frags that are appropriate for the summer give this a try. It's warm without being nauseating and truly smells like the edible parts of a golden summer day. The longevity of the reformulation is long-lasting and the sillage is moderate, which I feel is necessary in the heat. While the journey of the EDP is different than the body spray - all notes in the body spray emerge simultaneously during the 1-2 hours it lasts - this version emphasizes the top, middle, and base at different points because it is a true perfume. It's slightly different from the body spray as the longevity gives the fragrance time to settle more into the base notes (caramel, salt, vanilla, sandalwood). I also feel that the EDP is slightly nuttier at the top, but as someone that doesn't like almond-heavy fragrances I didn't mind. Definitely a summer staple in my collection.

UPDATE - Unlike with other fragrances, this has not aged well. It's harsh and there is very little sweetness to it. Sad. I have been dying to try this ever since I tried the Cheirosa '71 mist for hair & body. This perfume is close to that but only in the "tropical" vibe. This is not as caramelized or sweet on me as the '71 mist is. This goes on strong and had me wondering if it would have longevity. It does but it does fade down very quickly from the initial burst of hard & sugary flora-tropics. It almost immediately calms down to a quieter vanilla-powder-caramel with just the slightest hint of a bluish-floral scent that I can't place. Do I like this? Very much so. I plan to occasionally pair it with the '71 mist just for fun. Do I love this? I haven't decided but I'm leaning toward "Yes". It's a perfume that is closest to what I do love so much about the '71 mist; it's fairly affordable for my limping-toward-broke budget; it's longer-lasting than I dreamed it would be after reading a lot of reviews & I am getting at least 3 1/2 hours from a single spray at my throat, and it's not a complicated scent. I do wish there was a perfume for the '71 as it's heavier on the caramel.

Listen. I get this is supposed to be reminiscent of Rio de Janeiro, and I’ve been there, and I get it. But here in humble Cleveland, Ohio, we have a place called Mitchell’s Ice Cream. And their Toasted Pistachio ice cream is truly the best ice cream I’ve ever had. It’s the best. Sol de Janeiro’s Cheirosa 62 smells JUST like Mitchell’s Toasted Pistachio ice cream. This scent has been the sole savior of some epically horrible days, and it has been the warm gourmand icing on top of some really excellent days. The Bum Bum Cream and the eau de parfum smell basically identical, so layering them for some extra longevity would probably work great, but I find if I get either one on my clothes (but especially the cream) it’s there for seeeveral days. I understand completely why so many people think this is the definition of a summer fragrance, but I think it’s just as good, if not even better, in the wintertime around the holidays - the pistachio, almond, and caramel remind me of some combination of biscotti, millionaire’s shortbread, and cracking through a bowl full Wonderful Pistachios while sitting by the Christmas tree.