Kiki Extrait de Parfum

I am by no means a general fan of the fougere genre, but Kiki is really incredible. It smells exactly as you'd expect based on the notes, with a huge, beyond-fresh lavender note supported from all directions by soft, subtle citrus/ herbal/ geranium notes to give a very luminously bright, airy opening. Where I often find lavender fairly sleep-inducing, here it's light and awakening, as if you're standing in a field of lavender and look up at the sun blazing in the azure sky. Just beyond this lavender, however, is a rich, opulent and sweetish-ambery epicentre which prevents the entire sensation from feeling too much like a cleaning product. This is typical fougere-oriental trickery, first advanced by Jicky in 1889, in which the bright, gardenesque opening yields to a smouldering and lascivious base. Here in Kiki the whole affair is far less animalic and is instead lit up in neon colours: the smell to me makes me think of something illicit happening in an abandoned tent in the middle of a village fete. It's just so... jovial... I'm a very gloomy, black-haired sensitive sort of person in real life and this beaming brilliance and unrestrained laughter in a bottle is almost disconcerting to me in just how at peace and jubilant it smells. Vero Kern once said that the very best perfumes always present something to disturb their wearer (truer words have perhaps never been spoken on the subject of perfumery) but realistically this can't be said of Kiki - this is pure joy and sunshine in a bottle. Would work well on anyone of any gender, but exudes confidence from every pore. It lasts about 7 hours on me, a good 6 of which is top-tier herbal amber.

I am no fan of lavender in fragrances as it usually ends up smelling like an air refreshener or a soap and quite masculine, which is why it is even more surprising that I would fall for this fragrance. And fall for it I did, and big time! I have tried all three versions of Kiki and this one is my favourite. On the first sniff I am immediately reminded of a classic blue nivea creme (in those little blue tins) mixed with few drops of lavender absolute, and I get thrown back into childhood straight away. The scent is warm, cozy and and very comforting, almost fluffy, like a good old lavender coloured pashmina scarf. Where Kiki EDP is a lavender mixed with fruit and caramel (strange combination that somehow works); and Kiki voile extract somewhere in between EDP and pure parfum; Kiki pure parfum is denser, fruity notes are toned down and something warm and velvety pops up right at the beginning. Looking at the notes here, I guess it must be a combination of musk, opoponax and amber. It is one of those perfumes that lingers on your clothes and scarf and you want to keep sniffing it all the time for comfort, like a Bach Rescue Remedy. And like the remedy, it takes away my worries and any anxieties, calms me down and restores my balance (but not the bank balance cause boy this is pricey stuff in pure parfum version). Still, a sniff of Kiki, and few drops in the right places, and I am ready to face the world. Kiki - my new rescue remedy, only a lot more expensive than the real stuff.

Kiki by Vero Profumo is a lavender bomb that hits you square in the senses, no apologies. Picture this: a kick of bergamot and citron right out of the gate, amped up by black currant and passionfruit. It's a citrusy explosion that grabs your attention and sets the stage for what's coming. Then comes the main event—lavender, and damn, it's everywhere. This ain't your grandma's lavender sachet; this is like standing in the middle of a lavender field, surrounded by the stuff. Geranium slides in, adding a touch of floral swagger to the mix. It's bold, it's in your face, and it's unapologetically masculine. But we're not done. The base notes kick in, bringing a deep, sultry vibe. Opoponax, caramel, and amber lay down a sweet, resinous foundation, like a warm sunset glow. Musk and patchouli throw in some earthy, sexy vibes that linger on your skin long after you've walked away. Kiki isn't playing games. It's a powerhouse of lavender with a badass attitude. Wear it, and you're not just wearing a scent; you're wearing an experience. It's a lavender kick to the senses that says, "I'm here, and I mean business.

Kiki Extrait real surprise: lavender and sweet caramel ethereal heavenly merger. The surprising pairing results in a surprisingly exciting scent, lavender has a rabid fan like me. I love it lavender is any way, although most perfumes more masculine look to the composition, Kiki aromatic fruity notes of pure lavender and harsh geranium addition of caramel and blackcurrant and sweet, but not syrupy chord incredibly exciting fragrance experience gives. The presence of a slightly piquant passion fruit and patchouli and opoponax smokiness sufficient depth to provide the muskly funds.

To me, Kiki is a blend of: sweet lavender, patchouli, yogurt, orange and lemon zests. I think it's a bit similar to Mugler Angel EDT, but not as sweet, and more lemony and powdery. The composition is well balanced. I expected a more quirky vibe from Kiki, but I'd say I still love it cause it's versatile and beautiful. Staying power is about 6-9 hours. Projection is just nice. -AlmondBreakfast-

I like this scent and wear Kiki when I want to nose some patchouli with that intoxicating smell of bird cherry trees in bloom, and lavender.

I've been sampling a few lavenders lately. As soon as I smelled Kiki, I knew this was the one: the "baby bear" lavender among many. Kiki is a perfect mid-point on the lavender spectrum, between the stony, metallic, and raw lavenders, and the more sedate, sugared, tamed lavender-gourmands. I disagree with many reviewers - for that matter, its creator herself - on the atmosphere of Kiki. It's not light-hearted to my nose. The mood reminds me of a warm front after one of those spells of frigid, brilliantly clear winter weather. The clouds come in and it seems suddenly dull at first, but you feel the harshness leave the air, and the smells of plant life reemerge, and a pinch of the malice of winter nights dissipates. Kiki wonderfully straddles that same mood: an overlap of dour and comforting. There is a hint of burnt sugar, but don't let the word "caramel" put you off trying this one, as it did for me. This is not Pink Sugar; it's not Angel; it's not even one of those well-crafted - but none the less cloying - gourmands like Sucre d’Ebene or Praline de Santal. It's a glazing of lavender's spiky edges: lavender blurred and pixilated. The fruit is similarly an ensemble player, not even botanically identifiable to my nose, at least in the extrait: just a tartness; golden gilding around the edges. Most lavender fragrances share much of the same DNA, it's the modifiers around the outside of that lavender core that distinguish one from the other. Kiki is perched between Gris Clair and Caron Pour Un Homme in severity, and dries down at the half-way point between metal and powder, brassy rather than silvery by way of the caramelized drydown. If you've tried a number of lavenders and none were quite right, give Kiki a try. It just may surprise you...

Kiki is a spicy and fruity kind of fragrance. It's not too sweet, nor too fresh, sweet and fresh notes are blended very nicely. The most prominent note on my skin is rosemary, which gives this fragrance unusual depth. Still I would call it a classical type of fragrance with a great staying power. (pity I am allergic to rosemary and kept on sneezing all evening :/ )

In my opinion, this is more like an amber fougere than a fruity amber. The opening could possibly be the latter, but the dry down is all amber with a tinge of lavender and geranium. It is very wearable and enjoyable. I wish Vero Kern was still with us.

Hi, is there anyone who would like to sell a small sample of this? I have been dying to try this out and only recently learned that Ms. Kern has passed away. As a result I never got to purchase this. Please contact me.

kiki is based on classic perfumery, and for me its like a modern day holly go lightly,from breakfast at tiffany's who parties to dawn at all the hot spots and wears vintage clothes...

If Andy Tauer approves of Kiki, then I approve also! Thumbs up!