Vanitas

Lime, freesia, tiare - with a beautiful, creamy tonka base - just a touch of cedar - nothing too much, very subtle cedar basenotes which make this surprisingly classy. Usually Versace is not for me - but this, & Versense are the exception - both are actually classy, expensive smelling & offer something just a little bit different. This one is perhaps a little 'safe' - obviously it is not super-obscure niche, but(!) It is a difficult to find rarity in designer perfumes - it is creamy, slightly sweet, but fresh - & nothing too citrus-sy; though theime is quite 'present' it doesn't cross the line into full on citrus-sy perfume - there is something almost beachy about this - & if you wear this out to a casual supper at a restaurant by the harbour somewhere, you will notice that even more so - but this is something that you could still wear to the office. At some point, I thought 'borderline' generic - but this isn't, it is v well layered - but not 'too complex' - it smells current - even though it isn't gourmand - it has that tonka creaminess that smells do good in the drydown - & that is a real crowd pleaser - but this never veers into generic the way say, Gucci Bamboo does. There can be a slight 'bitter' hint - nothing too bitter, obv - which it shares with Versense actually - & that's extremely clever - that hint, in both, make both perfumes very 'mediterranean' - myself, I love French perfumes, & many things French - but both this & Versense remind of the mediterranean, & are Italian chic personified. Ofc, this runs the risk of being thought generic, & at first I thought perhaps this was too generic, but after repeated wearing, (always edp, obviously - the edt is a rose/tea blend that's not for me,) you realise that here, Versace pulled of creamy, & slightly sweet - but fresh, & clean - yes borderline soapy - it has freesia - which I usually avoid - but here, the freesia works with the tired flower, & I suspect, an unlisted orange blossom - & it's beautiful. I don't mind to smell D&G Light Blue on others & I hv that & some citrus perfumes, but they're never really my thing - & mostly I wear them layered with other perfumes, for something more beautiful - Versense is the only one that I think has enough complexity, & is 'interesting' (but for years I didn't try it out bc it was Versace..hm - let this be a lesson to myself not to judge, immediately,) but with this, you do get a 'suitable for summer' lime note but that's not all there is - & that beautifully creamy tonka, layered with the clean citrus & freesia that stays almost throughout gives a lovely chic, clean & put-together feeling; if it's warm, & you are busy etc, this is something that doesn't disappoint, it really works in that way, gives a pulled-together, elegant feel - & gives a feel - & though I would never wear J'Adore - too much, too old fashioned seeming, & is worn by certain grandmother's I know - this mat be something that could be thought of as 'in the style of' but it's less fruity, less mature, more streamline, pared-back modern chic - almost like a Bulgaria, but with much better presence & staying power- & oh so much better than something like J'Adore. I wouldn't wear it all the time - but it would be a great signature for somebody who works in an office, (again, clean & fresh - but creamy & slightly sweet, is surprisingly difficult to find, in perfumery) & I wouldn't say it is particularly 'mature' - obv it's not Pink Sugar etc, but most girls grow out of wanting cotton candy scents all day everyday - & this has enough floral to be different, but still has that creamy tonka that is actually far more beautiful than any cheap, celebrity vanilla - we hear all the time, that men love vanille, they love super sweet scents, yes, perhaps, but men really love nothing too heavy, & something clean/sweet, & fresh far more, often enough - & a touch of floral but nothing too mature, (such as gardenia etc - this is definitely freesia/tiara) is usually appreciated. With this though, it's an edp - spray it twice, (daytime,) maybe 3 times in the evening - lightly - & it's lovely. (Overspray, & it might give you a headache, or seem almost like gardenia - & I'm not fond of gardenia - this is definitely not like the Michael Kors gardenia/tuberose bomb)- but it is definitely floral, as many Versace's are - this is a clean, & a little fresh, slightly green, tonka-sweet floral - with a slightly bitter hint - a la Versense. The florals are almost 'none-descript' but not quite - & many will appreciate this more after repeated wearing I think. +it's a huge compliment magnet - not that that matters, but it's always good that ppl think you smell good - & 'clean' good especially. I like it v much; I don't love it yet, but I really like it.

Finally I’ve realized: most of Versace feminine fragrances may not feature unique blends or the best ingredients in perfumery (I’ve also checked the INCI list, let’s pass over...), they don’t have the power to capture my heart (not yet at least), nonetheless I find most of them very well done, polite and versatile without being boring. Vanitas EDP is my second purchase from this Italian brand, after the dark creamy Crystal Noir, and I’m very happy I've found it in a mini edition (4,5 ml) to enjoy this beautiful fragrance for a little time without having to buy the whole, expensive bottle. Brightness is definitely the word here: Vanitas is the scented picture of a sunny garden just after the rain during an early summer day.. not that of tropical beaches or exotic forests as the tiare would probably make one think of. A lively, intense, flashing blast of crispy and delicious lime introduces an unusually rendered tiare note, far from its usual exotic sweetness and combined with the elegant freesia to give it a more refined, crystalline and almost “bossy” feel... (yes, this could easily be worn to office, no matter if you’re the boss or not). As the scent settles on skin, the sparkling and luxurious mood of the fragrance is slightly tempered by a hint of floral creaminess (the tiare, again) that only enhances the politeness and femininity of the composition. Not much else happens then: if we except the pronounced cedarwood in the drydown this fragrance doesn’t seem to evolve so much, and the longevity is not impressive of course (4 hours I think), but I personally don’t care.. some scents are just meant to stay close to the wearer’s skin and need to be reapplied during day, and I’m perfectly fine with that. If they smell good. Vanitas evokes positive feelings and thoughts in me, it makes me feel so feminine and strong at the same time. Each time I take a sniff from that cute little bottle I feel good, probably because it reminds me of my beloved summer season. I can’t ask for more... (well, maybe a lower price tag). :)

I really want to love this one, I really do. My only problem with Vanitas is its longevity on my skin, some how others claiming it lasts moderate... I adore white floral scents, especially gardenias and magnolias and jasmine without it being too sharp or too sweet. This one at first smells like a hair shampoo or a shower gel - - don't get me wrong, I love those fresh clean scents in perfumes especially for a warm spring and a summer day - -, then it opens up and I smell white floral bouquet with gardenias + the hair shampoo smell. Sort of wedding perfume type to me. The dry down is soft and pleasant, nothing sharp. Just that it doesn't last long enough!! About 2 hours or so - I'm disappointed for a Versace and moreover for an EDP! Last time I tried it was a hot summer day, I got a sample of it from a friend of mine. I loved the scent so much I was going to buy it immediately if only it lasted longer... So I put it back in my bathroom drawer to be never used again. For years I have been looking for my signature perfume for those warm months when I take a break from sweet, spicy and a bit heavy scents, preferring to smell of fresh white florals and cleanness that at the same time are bold enough and make me feel seen in a crowd without giving a headache to people around me. Usually with other clean scents + white florals it doesn't last on me AT ALL and isn't noticeable in any way (most of Chloe and Gucci flora, for instance). Now that I have found the one I was looking for... The only complain is its longevity! However, I'm giving Vanitas a second try. Today I wanted to compare it with a Karl Lagerfeld for Her perfume that I fell in love recently, so I sprayed on my wrist again (today is a cool spring day), oh boy - I remember why I fell in love with it. Maybe this perfume has a problem with excessive heat or had something to do with my pregnancy last summer and it couldn't last longer due to the chemic of my body, let's see. I will update later.

The epitome of finest of the finest luxury. In that very high aesthetic form, which can’t be imitated or acted. Vanitas is stunning. That beautiful lime touch - brilliant, and to the unusual tiare and freesia composition - a shy soapy white floral bouquet - it adds a necessary sparkle, which heightens all of the perfume. It smells so simple, yet vastly distant and unreachable. It’s not exactly regal, but very far up and away from the general population. There is no complexity, it is plain and pure, just the kind of fragrance the plebeian masses usually dismiss as it is boring to them. Embodies an otherwordly beautiful, unapproachable woman, high fences in an affluent estate by the sea, intense privacy and silk or exotic leather for casual everyday at home wear. Yes, Vanitas. Perfect name for this perfume, couldn’t think of a better one, especially, when remembering the collections of Versace of that period. Goddess-like silent doll-blondes, impossibly thin, strutting the runway in obvious lavish luxury. You-can’t-sit-with-us approach. Perfect irony of that name is that we understand the vanity and can recognize it everywhere, yet still are immensely fascinated by it. It’s a mask, but as human nature is weak, easily lured and allured - a powerful one. Not similar to Eros or Love Story, or J’Adore. Oh, it’s my 500th review! So glad I wrote it for a perfume like this.

Versace Vanitas EDP is a refreshing floral fragrance with hints of citrus, tonka bean, and cedar. The opening is a powerful combination of white flowers (tiare and freesia) that conceals a vanilla-like background of lime and woodsy accords. I would not consider this fragrance sweet at all. Instead, it reminds me of honeysuckles blooming in early spring. That's about as sweet as it gets; the flowery aroma of nectar. Tonka bean is very prominent, even more so than the lime. And on the tail end of the drydown there is a faint aromatic cedar note. All these notes are distinct and blend beautifully. I really like this scent. Though Vanitas doesn't share any notes with Jadore L'absolu, I wouldn't hesitate to compare the two. As a white floral, Vanitas is so much more wearable. It is affordable and less synthetic than L'absolu but remains a comparable floral fragrance for ladies. If given a choice I would reach for Vanitas 9 out of 10 times. I am hoping for the opportunity to test out the EDT version in the near future. Even though this has been discontinued, it can still be purchased online (and sometimes in stores). Anyone searching for a clean, pure, floral scent would benefit from giving this one a try. It definitely surprised me.