Illuminare Intensa

This fragrance is beautiful to me ... juicy, plummy, sweet/tart. Really just deliciously pretty! I found it to be a fun and lovely September fragrance, perfect for warm late summer days. It seems under-rated - I wonder why there aren't many reviews? I purchased it on a deep discount recently, and I think I would purchase again even if it wasn't discounted. Beautiful bottle too! The top fits a little looser than I'd like considering the weight of the glass. It doesn't strike me as mysterious or complex. But it is warm, joyful, sunny and relaxed. A late summer picnic with corn on the cob, and some perfect tree-ripened peaches, next to a lake, under a blue, blue sky. I do wish it lasted longer! Follow-up Edit: This is one I have to spray with abandon. I mean, like 20 sprays all over (I don't count, but that's what it feels like.) Typically I am a 4-spray person - but this one requires way more to experience the effect. I recommend treating it like a body spray - it's inexpensive and accessible enough to do that. I still love this scent! It's one of my favorites still for late summer / early fall harvest time. Really nice for everyday, all day wear - just go reckless with it!

This is absolutely gorgeous. I just got the full bottle after only having a travel size. The opening is super heavy in the bright bergamot and masks the other notes. After just a few minutes, it blooms into a sensual, sweet, fruity floral with a deep undertone. In the dry down, the orchid is very creamy and luxurious. I mostly get the orchid, plum, plum blossom, and sandalwood with a little bit of rose and iris and the pink pepper adds a little bit of sharp & bright spiciness that helps the fragrance sort of "morph" as you breathe it in. I think it is a very unique fragrance yet also a fairly safe blind buy in my opinion, especially for the price. Smells very expensive & a gorgeous bottle too, which is always a fun bonus for the aesthetic on your vanity. The scent is bright and deep at the same time which makes it great for all-year round, day or night, date night or office fragrance (although could give off a sensual vibe with the sweetness, so just know that!) I would recommend over-spraying this as it on the weak side of projection. Rating is 10/10 for me. Love this and I will always have this in my collection!

I picked this up a couple years ago. I really enjoy it for a casual scent for everyday! I love a floriental so much and this is super affordable! I think I found it for around $20 at Burlington! It’s warm and plummy, it has a bit of that sharp citrus or pepper that smells slightly like hairspray but it works well in this blend. The longevity isn’t the best on me, maybe around four hours and then it sits pretty close to the skin but it’s pretty affordable so it’s easy enough to reapply or carry a decant in your handbag. You can definitely spray this heavily! It reminds me a bit of Euphoria with the purple bottle and the vibe of the fragrance. They’re not dupes of one another, just a similar vibe. I enjoy them both! So if you like that one, you’ll like this. It’s an easy reach for a day to day fragrance. I also think it’s good for any season but the cooler weather is when I prefer to wear this! I have a backup bottle because it’s getting harder to find so I’ll have it for a while, which I’m glad about!

I love this fragrance! Lovely fruity aroma, but not cloyingly sweet. The plum notes are wonderful. The best word for it is 'juicy'. Doesn't last forever, but I think that's a plus. Overall beautiful fragrance that I can wear daily. I'm in love.

This is my signature scent, I’m obsessed with the orchid in this fragrance. The dry down is soft and feminine and SEXY

Gorgeous plum and flowers. I really like this. The base notes blend well and add maturity. Might need a full bottle.

My husband gifted me a mini spray sample set with this and the original Illuminare. It's definitely not intense. If it was, it might be a standout. The initial spray is straight up medicinal alcohol, not heavy on the bergamot. I didn't get any pink pepper, which I would recognize and like if it was there. I'm not familiar with plum blossom and iris in fragrances, I have samples on order and on my list to try - so I can't be sure I'm finding the those in the middle notes. I do really like the balance of the florals in this, it's not too much rose or orchid too me. It dries down to a barely fruity floral with a pleasantly blended base of not very overbearing vanilla and amber. I wouldn't pay full price for a bottle but I've seen inexpensive testers out there. Seems to be an easy wear if you like a light floral with a hint of fruit. It doesn't remind me of Kilian's "I don't need a prince...," which is much more vanilla and sugary sweet. I'm racking my brain trying to think of what it is similar too, a hint of VC Fiori? Maybe this needs some oomph from some more pepper, sandalwood, or musk. Maybe I should try layering it. Edit: reapplied in the evening and did smell the plum and it's nice

This smells like hairspray but not in an unpleasant way lol. I haven't tried it on my skin yet but on a cotton pad (the way I test all my fragrances) it almost doesn't even have a proper smell. It's strange but not bad. I will say that there is nothing intense about this at all, at least not in the way I was expecting. Nothing rich, deep, heavy, or thick here as I suspected it might be but more a fleeting hairspray scented almost like grapes (I guess you could take it for plums in a sense). EDIT: Finally got around to testing this on my skin and it's much better! Nothing groundbreaking and still not intense to me, but the wafts that I got smelled less like hairspray and more like plum blossom mixed with a gentle, creamy ambery wood in the base. That hairspray effect on paper translates into fresh floral on my skin and I like it. I don't envision buying a big bottle of this unless I can find it at TJ Maxx or Ross but a larger decant is definitely in my future.

The opening of Illuminare Intensa was a bit unexpected, but in a good way. It was spicy and citrusy and kind of reminded me of Coco Mademoiselle, but not necessarily because it smells like Coco Mad, mostly just because of the intense "perfume" cloud that surrounded me. After about 20-30 minutes, the intense perfume cloud settled into a gorgeous plum and rose fragrance. I think this is the first fragrance that I have tried with plum where I *actually* am actually able to smell the plum - and it was so lovely! I do prefer the original over the Intensa version though. I think the original is less heavy and perfume-y, it was more floral and a bit fresh because of the pomelo and osmanthus. The original just smells better to me. The Intensa version would be a better option for nights out or if you want your fragrance to last longer, so by no means is it worse, I just personally prefer the original.

Genuinely pretty, if fleeting, dewy and juicy plum with some realistic bergamot and rose water. I also smell litchi, or something else that gives it a tropical feel, and there's a creaminess to it that's delectable and almost gourmand-like, even though this is not a gourmand fragrance. It is just so juicy and light and sweet and dewy. Doesn't smell cheap or body mist -like to my nose at all. Well blended and definitely a safe blind buy for a teen girl or young lady looking for something more grown up than a traditional gourmand but still want a sweet and juicy and powdery feel.

I acknowledge that calling a scent "Bank of England" is fairly loaded around here, but this perfume pays for its Bloomindale's purchases with checks written in perfect cursive while wearing tasteful jewelry and carrying a timeless purse. Plum and creamy amber, a hint of "perfumey". Perfect radiation: you can smell it without raising your wrist and others can smell it if they are worthy of entering your scent bubble. It's not the right scent for me, but I get it and respect it.

An easygoing, crowd pleasing sweet fruity floral with vanilla, musk and sandalwood at the base. There is a tiny bit of brightness coming from the bergamot that adds a bit of sparkle. A bit of dark sweetness from the plum. I was going to say I could smell the pink pepper and just found it in the notes, LOL - I think I’d like this better without it.

alleged notes: dark, succulent fruit, spice, plum blossom, black currant, midnight orchid, sandalwood, creamy musk, vanilla what i smell: deep blossom scent event / my reaction: dark edm concerts with the oldest of friends, the sensation of being a single person in a crowd of thousands

Sweet, feminine, flirty. The rich and tart plum note balances the scent from being too sugary, gives it a slight edge in my opinion. Speaking of the plum note, it's nice that you can actually smell it! Cheers to that. I only wish this fragrance lasted longer.

Fresh floral with hints of citrus and vanilla. There is something that reminds me of old glamour, I would wear this somewhere I wanted to seem sophisticated and put together.

The scent is beautiful - a deep, sweet plum with soft florals. Very feminine. Unfortunately, the longevity is poor, so you do not smell it for very long.

No spice on my skin here. Just a juicy, freshly rinsed plum right out of the fridge. Slight powdery background but overall smells delicious!

Lovely light feminine scent. Not too sweet. Soft floral and fruit fragrance. With a bit of powder.

Performs worse than a body mist. Smell-wise, though, it's very pleasant and inoffensive. The bergamont, juicy plum, and earthy rose make this smell like an iced tea to me, which is far from a bad smell. It's actually quite nice and refreshing. I found it to be a nice pick-me-up, middle of the day refreshers, and also nice when getting right out of the shower. I got a large sample as a free gift, and I went through that sample insanely fast because of its poor performance quality. I wouldn't purchase this because of said-poor longevity, but I'm not mad at it as a free gift. It smelled good when it lasted, at least.

I can definitely see how someone would love this, but personally, it's not for me. Very floral and citrus heavy, I wish there was more sandalwood. The scent is very feminine and floral and I personally lean towards stuff that is a little more clean or earthy, so not my cup of tea. But if you like flora/citrus blends, I'm sure you'll like this. Edit: I tried it again now that its getting a little warmer outside and I like it a bit more on me. Definitely a spring/early summer scent.