Basic Instinct

This is the ONLY Victoria's Secret perfume I consider wearable. I got the new bottles (my production date is April of 2016) in the small purple rectangles. Loved it so much. The scent goes on very musky, I almost dismissed it as generic and a blind buy mistake. But it settles in to a musky, sweet plum. I think it is WAY better than Lovely or Narciso Rodriguez, because it is musk, tinged with a sweetness from the plum and tuberose. I do think it is sexy, but it is also a very "professional sexy." Not professional as in prostitute.....but more of a sexy librarian type. You could easily wear this at the office, then straight out for a night on the town. It has a grown up, mysterious quality about it. Oh, and it is long lasting! I can smell it on myself the next morning when I wake up. Like I said, this is the ONLY VS perfume I can wear. All the others I have tried, well.....they seem like they are just trying too hard. Like a pre-teen who steals her mom's high heels and makeup and thinks she is the hottest kid in school, but ten years later, looks back and realizes how silly she looked. I tried NIGHT and Forbidden seduction, they COULD have been good scents, but there was always something off about them, like they refused to blend. THIS ONE is smooth and rich. No one would ever guess it was a cheapie from an underwear store.

Very seductive, dark and mysterious fragrance! First I didn't notice its beauty because it seemed to me musky enough. But then I really felt in love with it. Most of all I feel the plum note in this fragrance. I'm a huge plum note lover because between the fruit notes this note seems the most seductive to me. And its plum note is the best plum note in perfumes for me. It reminds a dark plum wine scent. And it really makes this fragrance very intriguing and alluring. Between the floral notes the gardenia note is the most noticeable. And this note makes this fragrance very much suitable as an evening fragrance. Actually, all notes are noticeable. The tuberose note brings floral sweetness to this fragrance. The Turkish rose note makes it more beautiful. The apricot note makes it softer. The patchouli note is strong enough in the base and makes this fragrance intensive enough. While the musk note makes it more femenine and sensual. And finally the vanilla note makes this fragrance normally sweet. I really love this fragrance. It's very sexy!

I absolutely love this scent! When not oversprayed, it's perfect and classy. In a class all it's own. Made the mistake of overspraying when purchased last year, during semi-annual sale, and it was over-the-top almost headache-inducing. Tried again today--almost a year later--with a lighter hand, and have fallen in love. I'm tempted to spray more but know that would be a huge mistake. Worth the purchase. It is what I recall what VS scents used to be, when they were less fruity-floral and more provocative and sexy, geared towards a woman, not a "pink" teenage young lady. Don't get me wrong, I still love the "pink" teenage scents and own quite a few. My intention is not to offend any age groups. I'm trying to describe how I interpret the scent. Go ahead and try Basic Instinct. Expensive quality with a cheap price tag. I'm sure you'll agree.

This one was a bit of a surprise for me. It's very powdery, and has a more mature and sophisticated vibe than most other Victoria's Secret offerings, which tend to have a fruity, juicy flair for the younger crowd... but this is different. It has a timeless quality, probably due to all that powder. Patchouli is strong here, but not offputting, for those who are hesitant about the note. It dances effortlessly with the plum and white floral notes, just the right blend to create a soothing, dark, sophisticated and seductive scent. Very well done, and a shame it's discontinued. This is similar to Natori, except that Natori has a sparkling, effervescent (aldehydic) quality to it that Basic Instinct lacks. Not that that's a bad thing, they're just a bit different.

I still remember my first time trying Basic Instinct. I smelled it once in Victoria's Secret and knew I had to have a bottle. The opening notes are quite potent. I smell plum and patchouli and they’re rather intense upon that initial spray. As it mellows out, it gets really, really floral. This perfume has very heady white florals. Tuberose is indeed an acquired scent but it along with gardenia are very nicely done in Basic Instinct. I’ve had this bottle of perfume for several years now. I don’t always reach for it but on those rare occasions when I do, it’s always a crowd pleaser. The longevity with this one is really good. I think it would be better suited for the fall and winter season.

Just purchased this fragrance in the semi-annual sale. I have to say I really do love it very much. I think its very sophisticated and womanly. This is diffidently a perfume that I think its very appropriate to wear during night time and for Fall and Winter. I can spot the notes of Gardenia, Rose and Patchouli. @perfumejunkie7 I agree with you. I kept walking around the store smelling my wrist and thinking this fragrance reminds me of something but of what then it finally hit me. It is very reminiscent of Angel by Thierry mugler. I do think that the finish of this perfume is a little bit more powdery and that it is softer then Angel but very similar indeed.

Victoria's Secret Basic Instinct is definitely my favourite perfume. My body chemistry usually gives perfumes a sweet and lactonic drydown, so they end up smelling more suitable for someone younger such as myself. Basic Instinct starts out really mature and icy. Then, the heart smells more like plum or white florals. The white florals smell the strongest during hot weather. By the end, I can smell the vanilla and patchouli. I feel the plum and rose stay with me the entire time. I love mature perfumes with plum and or tuberose, so I recommend this perfume for those with similar tastes.

I am honestly surprised this one is only available during the Semi Annual Sale. I have a back up bottle because it's seriously a great fragrance. Basic Instinct has a bit of depth, as opposed to other Victoria's Secret offerings. The Patchouli blends so nicely with the Gardenia and Tuberose, while the plum adds a nice fruity touch (I do pick up the grape like smell, as mentioned in another review) without going overboard. Performance is pretty good - I definitely will pick this up again at the upcoming semi annual sale if it's available again.

I had never smelled this until today. I was at VS's semi-annual sale and decided to give it a sniff. Whoa! This is really different from what they normally have! This is what Very Sexy should smell like, because that's what it is; very sexy. They didn't have any perfumes left, so I bought the body lotion, which I think will be strong enough. I really like it; it has depth and sensuality coupled with a dark mysterious aura that surrounds it. Not too bad for a VS scent! :)

Add me to the former reviewers, who indicated that this is the only VS perfume I actually loved. It was love at first smell, and I asked my hubby for it for Christmas. It was plummy, spicy, patchouli heaven. It was probably the closest thing I'd encountered to my beloved Poison from 15 years earlier. (but nowhere near as fantastical, don't get me wrong.) It had a grapey vibe to it that I just loved. The purple bottle with the rhinestones around it only added to my love.

Before leaving the office a colleague of mine used a body spray that smelled absolutely divine! Of course I asked her what it is and it's VS Basic Instinct. When the body spray fills a room with its divine scent like that I most def have to get my hands on it and the perfume as well! :) Its scent reminded us both a lot of Narciso Rodgriguez For Her, by the way. Very womanly, sexy and musky with a good dose of patchouli. Hmmm

العطر مغوي حقاً ناعم كوشاحٍ مخملي ينساب من كتفيها حتى اسفل قدميها .. يحيطها من كل جانب يكسوها بالنعومة فوق النعومة ..! .. خلف ذلك الوشاح تختفي الخطايا و مع كل حركة يرتفع ليكشف مفاتن تلك الغانية ..!! الغنية بجمالها عن الزينة و الذهب تلك التي يفوح جسدها دفئً و عبيراً يفوق عطورُ العالم سحراً و أخذا .. سهامٌ و رماح لا ترحم تصيب لتقتل .. لتفتك .. غانية الوشاح البنفسجي

I love Basic Instinct! I can't tell you what individual scents I smell as I am not good at that. I can say that I don't understand why there are reviews on here that say it smells like old lady. To me, it is a very unique, very sexy scent. I detect more of a musk scent then a patchouli scent. I love both! I will definitely buy again when mine runs out.

I wore and loved this throughout college during my early 20s. I received many compliments from women, men, and children. It is a night scent, but I wore it in the day during fall and winter. It fits dark, mysterious types. Earthy, complex. Wish it wasn't discontinued.

This fragrance reminds me why I love patchouli. This is deep, fresh, cool, floral, mysterious. This is sexy in a subtle "come hither" way. The patchouli predominates and gives this an earthy quality, while the cool restrained florals add a refined elegance. Love it!

I have a sample of this from 2005 when I was around 12 years old and have been wishing they’d release it again since I discovered it a couple years back. Today 6/6/20 is the SAS at VS and they have Basic Instinct EDP listed online! Go ladies gooo!

This beauty smells like royal purple! I have a bottle of the original and also have the mist that I bought last year. Both smell glorious! This is so different from other VS fragrances but it IS today's epitome of "Victoria's Secret". Exquisite.

Basic Instinct for me is love from first sniff! Beautiful aromas, soft and tender with good durability and is discreet scent.They resemble each other with Narciso Rodriges, as composition and would be a good deputy, considering its price!

Smells very similar to Allure by Chanel: lemon curd and vanilla with something rich, fresh and classy holding it all together. Wish it was more readily available and affordable. Some places it's almost as expensive as Chanel!

I love this fragrance! It's long lasting and very classy! This is a perfume I could wear every day and never get tired of smelling it. I was very sorry to hear VS has discontinued it! Figures!