Valentina Assoluto

If anyone wants to experience a great example of a blooming chypre then try Assoluto. Its layers are very pronounced and is almost like having two fragrances in one bottle. I get compliments from people who know perfume when I wear this (tons of compliments, and guys seem to love it on me too- in fact more people ask what I'm wearing when I wear this over any of my other perfumes in my expansive collection of fragrances) It starts off with a rather sweet fruity peach blast and after a few seconds I notice the truffle (I love the truffle). Then it moves to truffle and tuberose which reminds me a lot of Black Orchid EDT. Then that morphs again and I catch a whiff of something that reminds me of Lolita Lempicka (although I'm not sure how or why because the notes aren't the same) and settles into an earthy and kind of powdery base where I smell the truffle again.. The intensity of it also morphs, at first it's overwhelming and I think to myself that I should always spray and leap into this one. Once it dries down it settles and becomes softer, sort of a earthy truffle vanilla tuberose with a hint of fruit and the trail is mostly earthy truffle with a hint of the dry notes. Because it starts so intense I don't want to spray too much but the trail gets soft enough that I wish I applied more so I'm conflicted about the appropriate spray amount with this one, I think a purse spray is in order because I don't I want to overload before work. Some people used to powerhouse fragrances probably won't find that to be a dilemma. This is a very interesting, complex and beautiful fragrance and a very happy blind buy, I'm not sure why I haven't heard of it until now. I love it!

Update: I love this glamorous fragrance more and more each time I wear it/bond with it. The smell is really quite addicting! When you first spray it on.. it smells "nice" but the longer you wear it, the deeper the scent becomes and the more you will shine. I used to prefer the original Valentina to this, but I think I have changed my mind... but I'll start with this: The Opening: To me, it smells like a mixture of sweet tarts, ripened peaches, and a slight hint of champagne. Hmm... not sure if anyone else has had this experience, or it's just my nose. It can be quite "sweet" but unusual to put it simply. The Heart: Beautiful smooth jasmine and tuberose, surprisingly creamy with just a hint of vanilla. This isn't a sweet baking vanilla - it's very refined and used in small doses. This is when it begins to shine most. The Base: The scent trail of this fragrance is incredible. The jasmine/tuberose is quite toned down at this point, and it appears to have a strange calming effect on me. The patchouli and oak moss wrap this up quite delicately. It's delightful, sophisticated, and well balanced. I highly recommend trying this one directly on your skin and not spraying it on a tester card. Why? It's one of those that just doesn't settle right on paper. On the skin it blooms and heats up and meshes with your own skin chemistry. I love this gorgeous earthy floral! PS: This scent lasts for DAYS on clothes! I literally sprayed my pull over with this beauty and I can still get whiffs of it 2-3 days after! Scent: 8.5/10 Longevity: A good 6 hours Sillage: Soft - moderate (depending)

This perfume is like a smoky quartz for me -there's something subtly dark, deep, a bit mysterious about it. I could describe as a light, earthy chypre with a gourmand twist. The sun present in the regular Valentina has gone, there's the silence before the storm, the flowers and the plants smell more intense, the air is damp, the earth starts breathing. Kind of shadow lingering in the air, kind of suspense. The rain is coming. Or maybe it's the solar eclipse... The opening is a fresh, green citrus whirl which quickly melts with a mixture of sweet, earthy tuber and white flower scent. I guess the tuber is responsible for that lovely earthy aroma. The patchouli is light, but it underlines the elegance of this fragrance and together with the wood notes creates that smoky vibe and adds a decent lasting power. For me this is a more serious, more elegant version of the regular Valentina. If Valentina is a silk scarf floating in the wind, this is a dark velvet cape for a mysterious lady.

Extraordinary fragrance, perfect for a signature scent, it certainly makes a statement! But..... This isn't something i'm always in the mood for, it's quite different than what I expected! Kind of an acquired taste. This was a blind buy. (If you are looking for a tooth-achingly sweet, gourmand fragrance, this is NOT it..) Rather, it's earthy and quite rich. It opens with a burst of alcohol mixed with peaches.. I'd describe it like a "peachy champange". The initial burst of alcohol winds down fortunately, and then the jasmine and tuberose take center stage, along with the peach. The peach isn't sweet or fruity, rather, somewhat bitter (mixed with the tuber, perhaps?) The vanilla soon creeps in, softening the fragrance, while adding a bit of warmth. This scent is not "foody", not in the least bit. Now on to the base notes... I get the patchoulli, and a VERY subtle hint of the oakmoss. It's subtly spicy - addicting. This scent lasts a full 5 hours on my skin.~ <3

After a long, hard, tedious search for an updated signature fragrance, I finally found mine - Valentina Assoluto by Valentino. Upon first try, I knew my search was over. I loved it from the start. It melts perfectly into my skin to become one with me. I don't know if it is the fact that the ingredients are mainly from Italy and I have Italian skin; or, if I was just lucky to have stumbled upon a fragrance that works for me. In any regard, I can't get enough of it. The fragrance starts off floral, but then dries down to a sexy, yet lady-like aroma (not sure if it is the tuberose?). That's the whole thing. I can't separate the scents, although I know what is in it. It is too complex. One ingredient cannot exist without the other. They rely on each other to complete itself. A purely feminine, subty seductive scent made for a woman. It has possessed me.