Grapefruit Incense

Rosy With A Smoky Morsel I bought it blindly, along with the other two of the Ocean collection. The tester was not available, so I fully trusted the name Grapefruit & Incense. And I must admit that this perfume blew me away. Not what I expected from something called that way, but the surprise turned out to be pleasant. The scent is everything but citrus or harsh. A smoky and sweet rose is hidden inside this gem. Sure, there is grapefruit enriched with an ounce of incense, but overall it seems much more floral and rosy. Grapefruit is present here differently than Zara Emotions N°01 - Vetiver Pamplemousse, another Jo Malone creation. I feel like a more ripe, sweet, sophisticated, less juicy and bitter citrus fruit. Frankincense isn’t a major player here; it sits in the background, warming the scent slightly, so don’t let the name fool you. Instead, a beautiful dewy rose oozes among the initial notes, making the bitter yellow citrus fruit a bit sweet and damp. If the grapefruit zest has a masculine slant, the rose petals compensate with a gentle dose of feminine twist. As the initial acid explosion fades, the scent takes a sweeter and more flowery direction. The rose now appears sugary, almost like a rosolio, a type of Italian liqueur made from a base of alcohol, sugar, and water in the same proportion, which is flavoured by adding an essence of various types, rose petals in this case. It is a soothing rose, not dark or opulent like the one we find in the perfumes of the Middle East. Only now do the smoky notes of incense gain fullness, giving the essence pleasant fresher and gummier nuances that balance the otherwise too sugary appearance of the flowers. As the rose grows, it becomes less soapy than expected, and the perfume becomes incensed. The incense appears dusty and fumy and has nothing to do with the aromatic and balsamic one that we perceive in a church with a bit of waxy nuance. The middle stage is floral with a smoky vibe, still airy and pleasant. The heart stage lasts longer than expected. It takes time for the base to play the game, and the white woods listed result in creamy sandalwood. I will not exclude a clean musk, which blends nicely with the smoky rose. Like any other Jo Malone creation, the fragrance is barely linear, meaning it turns around the declared notes and adds just a few variations resulting from their blend. The rosy nuances remain until the last whisper. In general, longevity is above average. I can feel it for several hours on the skin, while the floral and citrus accord is more persistent on the clothes—it will last a couple of days. The sparkling and fresh aspects make it ideal for daily use and great for office and leisure. Spring and summer are the best seasons, in my opinion. Since this is not a new release, I suggest you check it out before it gets discontinued. I base the review on a 90ml bottle I have owned since July 2022.

Ok, I'm loving this as a summer fragrance. It's light, juicy, sparkling & refreshing grapefruit opener with a woody, ever so slighty, spicy dry down. I only wish it lasted longer on my skin. I imagine this could be enjoyable year-round but I've only had it this summer. It feels classy-casual, grown up & put together, without being fussy. Really nice, I'm so glad I decided to try it.

Definitely leaning more on the feminine side, this scent is fresh and really beautiful. I don’t get any of the incense though. If you see a bottle you should just get it coz it flew off the shelves! It has to be my third favourite scent from the 10 different ‘Zara Emotions’ scents created by the spectacularly gifted Jo Malone.

tried it once a year ago and im still regretting not buying it for rougly 10€..

Very Chanel-like elegant feminine fresh citrusy rose. It lasts half an hour max... But it's very inexpensive so I can not complain... All Zara perfumes are in-home choices anyway... Good to have ❤️

This isn't what i expected from something called "grapefruit incense", yes there's grapefruit and some incense but the overall fragrance comes across very floral on me. The grapefruit here is a different grapefruit note than in Vetiver Pamplemousse, it's sweet and fresh but not as juicy as VP, a more grown-up, sophisticated citrus. The incense isn't a main player here, it's just warming the scent slightly so don't let the name fool you. Somehow this reminds me of J'adore on my skin, or more accurately, one of the flankers. Not a dupe by any means but think J'adore EDT but a little deeper, more amber-golden coloured and the depth is coming from a fruity, ever so slightly masculine grapefruit, with just a hint of incense smoke wrapping around a dewy-wet rose, dripping soapy white florals. Less soapy-floral and closer to what i expected (ish) on clothes than on skin. In general the longevity is just okay (6 hours max) but it's worth noting that the fruity citrus-rose note is unusually persistent and on clothing it'll last a couple of days. Not for me but impressive for a Zara fragrance. Smells like expensive hotel toiletries. Personally, I would prefer this as a home fragrance.

A very soft dewy citric floral. I don't get any grapefruit or incense, instead to me this smells like bergamot, rose and musk. Unisex leaning slightly feminine, office-friendly. It's kinda spa-like, reminding me of an old 90's Jaffra Spa fragrance (Live Love or something like that, came in pastel hues of green and rose) and more recently Banana Republic's Peony & Peppercorn. Very fresh, airy, wearable and Jo Malone-ish, but ultimately nothing to write home about.

grapefruit incense, orchid, stunningly venice are clearly identical triplets. i've been tricked into buying ugh

Just found a bottle of this perfume and those who claim that this is the same perfume as stunningly venice might get their sense of smell checked because they are not the same at all . This one is very grapefruit based , very fresh in the opening and the connection to the incense is clearly there after a few moments , in contrast with stunningly venice , where the red berries and myrrh shine through. So they are definitely not the same perfume.

I LOVE THIS ONE! Juicy citrus grapefruit & woodsy/smokey at the same time, for me it is addictive and quite unique..it lasts few hours and IMO it is perfect year round!