Valentina

A little storytime how Valentina ended up in my collection: Besides some other "fragrance hunting" I was looking for a new anytime/anywhere fragrance. Something completely new with no memories attached whatsoever - fresh and new fragrance ground, if you will. Previous frags from that category were Tommy Girl, SJP Lovely, Acqua di Gio, J'adore, CK Escape, DKNY Be Delicious, Chanel Chance... Scents I didn't really tire of and actually repurchased several times (it happens! :)) And am still not tired of, technically, but oh the memories and reformulations... I love every fragrance in my collection but need to rotate most of them, in order to - again, after a little breather - fully enjoy them. So, here I was, at the fragrance counter actually taking up the offer from a sales assistant "can I help you?" - most of the time I kindly say no and wander about, but this time I said, "you know what, yes, please!". So I described the following to her: I am looking for a new everyday fragrance. Something warm, a little floral & vanilla, maybe with a touch of citrus, not too loud but noticeable. A scent that blends with me and doesn't feel like a sticky layer. Been contemplating Allure EDT but am open to your suggestion! She was really really relaxed & super helpful. Took me from Creed to Annick Goutal, to Lancome - so the whole range, really. A lot of nice scents (new additions to want & further test) but not the one. And then came Valentina. With the introduction that this has been around for a while and would quite fit the bill - and it did. Smelled it on the blotter, that led to testing on the skin, wandering around the mall for a while, to me coming back and purchasing a full bottle. Valentina, as many have said before, is a very nice creamy floral vanilla with a pinch of fruit and earthy notes - the truffle paired with the cedar, I suppose. Contrary to others though, I feel that this scent has the recognition factor. I, at least, would recognize it now that I know it. On me the tuberose isn't too pronounced, jasmine and orange flower keep things fresh, never entering sticky territory. In a way Valentina has the sweetness of a crème brûlée - sweet but classy, creamy not candy floss. It's elegant and polished, with a wink. Not too serious, approachable and at the same time not suffocating either. Perfect middle ground, if you will, and exactly what I was searching for. Longevity is good, a spritz on clothes helps to extend the fun, sillage is moderate and the bottle is beautiful. Total win in my book!

The art of fragrance never stops surprising me. Based on the reviews Valentina sounds generic and rather boring, with "nice fruity floral vanilla" being the most used words for her. And as I tried her before reading any reviews, and then looked her up here on Fragrantica, I was very surprised because what people are describing here is a very different animal to what I have on my left wrist right now. I most certainly get white florals, especially the jasmine. I'm not familiar with the African orange flower so I can't comment on that, but jasmine and tuberose are very prominent here to my nose. This is not fruity in any way, there is some fruit in the background to give the white florals a bit of a backbone, but that's not nearly enough for me to classify Valentina as fruity. I also barely detect the vanilla, its more like the fruits, giving the white flowers a support rather than standing out on its own. And she is not complex. She is very much straightforwardly soft and uncomplicated. It has to be noted that both the fruit and vanilla are louder if you press your nose up against your skin where you sprayed, or on clothes. So, perhaps this is my skin chemistry that's giving me a completely different experience from other reviewers here. But if I'm not trying to smell it, the wafts around me are creamy jasmine and tuberose, with a hint of spiced vanilla and fruits. Even a little woodsy as it dries down. When I smell Valentina in the air when I move, all I can think of is something white and soft. Like a soft piece of fabric. With some added jasmine and tuberose on top of that. Soft music and soft touches. Incredibly feminine and delicate. Not sexy, but very sensual. Valentina would suit soft sweaters in pastel colours extremely well. Valentina is not a loud one, the projection is soft and on my skin I can smell her for about 6 hours before she disappears. She most definitely sits close to you the whole time, but as I always prefer to wear fragrances close to my skin, that's not a problem for me. Am I the only one that feels this way about Valentina? That she's a lot more beautiful than most people give her credit for and in no way a fruity floral/generic vanilla? Either way, that's how I feel about her, so lucky me I guess. And my boyfriend as well, he's all over me when I wear it!

I wear this perfume since it's out (so almost 10 years). I do agree that it's the kind of perfume you have to try on skin. I am very picky on perfumes as I have a very sensitive nose. I always go for white flowers with an amber base... but I love to be surprised with other notes along the way :) I like noticeable perfumes but with moderate lasting. The 1st 2011 bottle was perfect but really didn't last very long. Had to put it more during the day. At the time you could smell Bergamote very quickly, the truffle was noticeably present but the floral sent didn't last very long. Loved the sent anyway so I kept wearing it. Since then they improved the formula (and changed the three flowers on the bottle for a single one). This was much better. I enjoy the bergamote when I spray it on my skin and then, it's heaven... the truffle make perfectly the transition to the the wild strawberry and the white flower bouquet. The jasmine last very long with the amber and cedar which is there you can again smell the truffle. I agree to say it's a very Italian combination. To me it's the perfect balance between sweetness, floral and earthy smell ! It's my day perfume all year, except in summer when I wear it after 6pm (don't like to put perfume during the day in summer). At night the rest of the year I like to wear For Her from Narciso Rodriguez (white flowers again ;) Hope this review will be helpful !

I literally woke up craving this scent. This is an unusual one, some people will love it, and some will hate it. It's a perplexing one; and intriguing nonetheless. It opens with a burst of freshness with a peppery accord. Hmm... interesting. For the first couple of minutes it's almost masculine on me... but still feminine in a way. I ponder to my self for a moment, trying to make sense of this interesting smell, and I go back in for another whiff. The heart soon develops, the stunning jasmine sparkles and shines; it's the star. The creme de la creme. The strawberry has just ripened, adding a fresh, sweet, fruity zest. This scent really enchants me. It carries my imagination off to a fantasy realm. Is this love?.. After a few hours, the inevitable dry down appears... I wish this scent would last forever. The intoxicating blend of vanilla, amber, and cedar wrap up Valentina to perfection. She leaves me wanting more. I agree with the description "full of contradictions". It's simultaneously floral, sweet, earthy, animalic, slightly spicy, cold, warm.. it's simply dazzling. Longevity: 3-4 hours on me...please Valentina, won't you stay? Sillage: soft-moderate The packaging is to die for! It's the most beautiful bottle I think I've ever seen. I will forever have a place for Valentina in my collection, and her memories will always remain in my heart! She's a hopeless romantic. <3

Valentina has to be tried on skin, not on a blotter. At least that's how it was for me. When I tried it on paper I found it nice but kind of faint and boring, but when I finally sampled it on my skin this summer I fell in love. Maybe it needs a little body warmth to unfold, or maybe it shows its full potential only on certain skin types, which would explain why some reviewers find it generic. Of course this didn't turn into a loud, bold perfume on my skin. It's a lovely floral vanilla scent with some surprising twists. This scent has a soft character, but it does have character. The tuberose and jasmine are just sultry enough to smell feminine and interesting, but never too much. The strawberry is woven into the florals and supports their sweetness, this is not an in-your-face candy sweet strawberry note. I love how they used a truffle note instead of the usual patch to give the fragrance an earthy edge. Despite having no musk listed, Valentina smells quite musky on my skin. All the notes lie on a bed of a bright, light, almost ice-cream like vanilla. In my opinion this would make a good signature as it's easy to wear for daytime, nighttime, work and play, but not one-dimensional or boring.

Finally got my hands on a bottle (single flower). This one for whatever reason has eluded me although I always wanted it and really liked it. I kept getting distracted by other scents when it first launched, and then somewhere in between its launch and discontinuation, I also took an extremely long break from testing and adding perfumes to my collection. I’m so glad I was reminded of this gem once again and now, finally have it in my collection where I feel it should have always been. It’s as gorgeous, elegant, classy, and as ladylike as I remembered it to be. The sillage of this fragrance is like the mist of a dense, foggy morning that wafts up around you when you move about. Creating an ethereal, somewhat fairytale nymph side to it as well. Sweet strawberry, bubblegummy feminine florals, soft vanilla, and a powdery earthiness which I assume is from the truffle note. I understand this has been relaunched, by the new notes on the relaunched bottle do not show truffle, which I am afraid they have not included in the new formula. Which is also why I chose to go with the discontinued bottle version over waiting for the new to released.

I find it fascinating that some think this perfume smells mature and others think it smells young. Perspective is really everything. I personally get the impression that it's a "young" smelling fragrance, but not so young an adult can't wear it. Basically, the perfect 1st scent for a young lady living in the 90s decade perhaps? It's soft, fresh, sweet strawberries & creme, and it doesn't smell like dense aggressive smelly chemicals like a lot of new releases do; Yay! This is a gentle perfume that behaves well in warm weather; and while not loud, it lasts a decent amount of time on my skin. Casual daytime, demure, clean, sweet, and well behaved. The animalic is there in the background making things more interesting, but for me it doesn't ever take over. Update 2022: I hardly ever find myself wearing Valentina, and I think it's because of the sweetness. I love the opening of this fragrance (the truffle, bergamot, and strawberry), but as time goes on it gets too sweet on my skin. I wish it had a mossy base note that would temper the sweetness down. I'll be passing her along but I'll sure miss the pretty top & mid notes!

I love this fragrance, and I adore the charming bottle. I find this fragrance to be beautiful, unusual and distinctive. The initial blast is an acetic burst of bergamot,tuberose and jasmine, but within seconds a woody sweetness mutes the sharp tones from the white florals. The indoles melt into the muskiness of truffles, and then re-emerge, in balance with effervescent citrus and piquant strawberry. After about 20 minutes Valentina develops into a distinguishable, charming work, that is both luxurious and swank. Valentina is absolutely a "get stopped in the street" fragrance, with marvelous longevity, and conspicuous sillage. Be careful not to to overspray...this one is not for fans of insipid, assembly-line perfumes. Something in this calls to mind Hugo Boss Deep Red...must be the tuberose-vanilla mix.

Opens with sparkly strawberry, citrus, and florals.. I can definitely smell the woody base under but the rest blends together beautifully~ It isn't cloying at all, which I appreciate It turns into a slightly powdery, cozy, sweet scent from the vanilla, amber, and cedar that still stands out from other scents I've collected.. There's always something a little earthy that balances out the sweetness to prevent it from being yet another gourmand Its feminine and ladylike, but still grounded enough to wear every day~ I think of classy trench coats and heels feminine, rather than vintage and overly lacey? Both are great, but Valentina feels like a modern girl :) I love this for spring especially, but reach for it year round! Its one of my favorite scents!

1/7/17 I finally bought this perfume and I love it! The packaging is very girly, sophisticated and nicely done (the flowers are very cute and made out of some sort of thin tin). To me this fragrance is sweet and soft. Its the kind of sweet that is sophisticated and elegant and won't offend anyone. It also has great staying power. About four hours ago I sprayed some on my wrist and after cooking (garlic and onions), cleaning kitchen, bathing my baby and having her cream all over my hands too I can still smell this fragrance. There is no way i could ever go wrong with this perfume so it will be my anytime perfume. I will also get the body cream, lotion and body wash and display them all together on their own mirrored tray apart from my collection.

Valentina - I am a lover of the Valentino's Valentina line. I finally added this one to my collection and I am extremely pleased. I have owned Valentina Assoluto for a while now but it is too dense to wear during the summer. This Valentina is a sheer version of the Assoulto with a lovely strawberry note, very delicious, a bit sweet but not sugary. The most enjoyable aspect the two share is the blend of tuber with the bergamot, as you can tell I am in love with the opening, its fresh and earthy at the same time. I also like that this one skips on the patchouli. Valentina is not a sillage monster by any means but I think that is its intention. Overall its a sweet, floral, clean spring/summer scent that doesn't delve into tropical territory.

I really love the review "Action" left. (To be specific: the one posted Apr.1,2012 about Valentina being an 'old school'-thick floral, creamy fruity... and a GREAT modern 'classic'...etc.) That's a good description! With Valentina, I smell the strawberry, jasmine, and tuber. I'm guessing that the tuber, (black truffle) is what gives it the "earthy" smell which is light and I like it. The jasmine is great too, not overpowering, (I've had bad experiences with jasmine in the past). There is a "strength" to this perfume that is nice. I do not find it to be overpowering and it does last throughout the day, it just gets lighter. There will be times when I notice it even though it was sprayed hours ago.

Ahhhh this perfume is so nostalgic to me... it's the epitome of cute, sexy female. In my early 20s.. I used to love wearing this all the time.... had the body lotion to make sure it LASTED! I still have a couple of testers... it's been YEARS yet they still smell scrumptious 😍 Bergamote is the first note for about 10 seconds, then it settles into the truffle, strawberry...it's been 15 minutes and the jasmine is STRONG on my skin, a dominant note! Vanilla, amber & woods linger softly in the background, distinguishable... It's a very classy scent and I would say suitable for all seasons except for maybe super hot weather... I used to own it, but I'd definitely pick it up again for nostalgia

Very sad that this was discontinued, for what it is, it's a beautiful scent! It's a super juicy strawberry, white floral scent. It's not ground breaking but i dont think that's what it's meant to be. It's a very pretty, beautiful, crowd pleasing fruity-white floral that smells like a fresh juicy scent, not just an overly sugary sweet scent. And the bottle is beautiful. I dont get much of the truffle, but it doesnt feel juvenile so i think it's somewhere in the background just giving a faint, something different. The vanilla is a light sweet vanilla, not overly bodacious or resinous. Very pretty, casual, every day scent. Really like it for what it is.

It is a wonderful scent and though it is not the same, it reminds me of L'air de Nina Ricci (which now seems to be discontinued in my area and makes me super sad!) But anyway, it is floral, sweet, and has a little hint of a woodsy base note to it once it settles in. The sweetness is not overwhelming to me. However, it has no lasting power on my skin. I can't smell it after 1 hr and the only place that it actually lasts for a decent time is when i spray it in my hair. I am still debating on whether I want to buy the full size. If anyone knows a perfume that's similar to L'air de Nina Ricci, please let me know!!!

Valentina makes me think about a heavenly perfume, where all the ingredients are selected carefully in order to create a magic potion. This magic smell will make everyone to do what you say, they will be simply hypnotised, like in the Patrik Süskind's novel - Perfume. Each ingredient in this perfume is like the scent of a beautiful virgin that attracts men without even trying. Valentina is a creamy, classy and seductive perfume that makes you want more, makes you greedy. For a long time I thought it doesn't suit me but after buying the first bottle I am addicted!

This is absolutely beautiful. I always appreciate nice packaging, and this is up there with some of my favorites. It's so, so pretty and looks so elegant. Much prettier in person. Opening spray was this bright, sparkling strawberry laced with fresh bergamot. It's clean, feminine and fun. The dry down is more elegant. Soft, calming vanilla with sexy amber. I get no tuber at all actually. I really hope Santa is going to bring me this one, because it's absolutely gorgeous. It's LBD worthy, feminine, fun and classy all at once. I love it!

I bought this (one flower bottle) for my daughter who likes strawberries in perfume. I missed that she really dislikes white flowers. She is very sensitive to indoles. This is mostly a jasmine perfume so she did not like this. But I like white flowers and I don’t mind indoles. (I find no indoles in here). I like this one very much. It is a modern uncomplicated soft jasmine with a bit of sweetness. One of my top jasmines actually. So, I bought her another perfume ( one she tested first :)) and I will use this one myself.

I have only owned this once but I LOVED it and thought it was an absolutely beautiful perfume! I used the entire bottle right up until the last drop, which is quite rare for me. I would love to own it again! This scent is sophisticated, elegant and not too sweet at all. Perfect for both the day and night, in my opinion. It's quite a mature scent but I think some younger women can pull it off. Whenever I wore this perfume I always had compliments from others saying my perfume smelt amazing.

This is my signature scent. I have owned both the bottle with one flower and the bottle with three flowers and to me they smell different. I sold my bottle with the one flower and purchased the older 3 flower bottle from Ebay and its perfect. Its a bit sweeter, less dusty smelling. I get more of the vanilla and jasmine. I would wear this year round for any occasion. Its so easy going and lasts a good amount of time. Its my favorite Valentino fragrance out of the entire line.