Boudoir Sin Garden

This scent smells like the song Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac. Imagine a sparkling, dazzling garden fairy. This was my signature scent from the age of 19 to 25 and I have such fond memories of that time! The first man I ever loved got into my car, took a big sniff and exhaled saying “your car smells just like you” 😂 I’ve never forgotten that haha. It’s a shame it’s discontinued, although I do understand why Dame Vivienne Westwood decided to do so. Luckily I have a few bottles hidden away, I get them out occasionally to smell and remember those days.

It does smell like an English country garden in summer. English gardens tend to be designed to seem natural, an effusion of nature. This perfume manages to mimic that effect. The garden in question is maybe a bit messy and overgrown, but lush and beautiful and gorgeously fresh and natural, though manicured and well-designed. It's a year rounder for me, though it does require a lighter hand in warmer weather.

Not an elaborate or elegant garden that might astonish, but a sensuous natural one that will seduce. This is where Lady Chatterly takes her shoes off to let her feet free. There seems to be no authority to obey in Sin garden, just freedom to enjoy. And I do - iris, freesia and violet in soft shades with added pink pepper for a playful bite. The flowers give way to sweet sandal and moist moss. Downside is the earlier mentioned lastingpower, needs reapplying after 4-5 hours.

This is similar to Boudoir, in that it is dense and deep, which seems a strange description for a light floral! But that's where the similarity ends. However, it does settle and the pepper comes through and cuts into the floral, making it more sophisticated. At times this is a bit chemically and can lose the freshness. Like with Boudoir, don't over spray, perhaps layer, as too much can smell cheap, when it's really quite a lovely, summer scent.

Very fresh and airy - definitely not what I would have expected from Vivienne Westwood. To me, this is a perfect spring/summer scent; light and floral, with a sophisticated, sweet (but not too sweet) powdery drydown. I bought it untested simply because I love many of the notes, such as violet, pink pepper and heliotrope, and I have to say I was positively surprised.