Hip Hop Red Apple Eau de Toilette

This is a gorgeous melange of apple. I love this perfume so much because I want one fruit - I don't usually want ALL the fruits. I'm not a fan of mixing into pulp or fruit salad on my skin or indiscernible fruity mixed pebbles - I like fruit scents like this one. The only issue for me is that I wish it lasted longer. At the same time, I love the lightness. Sometimes I want light.

So hard to find this in Malaysia back in 2020 when it first launched. Got my bottle from Dubai by chance!! Really enjoyed the fresh green and red apple scent. My favourite from this Jo Malone X Zara Emotions kids range. 😍

Exactly as the name describes it...a sort of upbeat, happy and jumpy dancing apple on a base of light, caramelized wood! And not so sticky either, as one could erroneously think. It is a very simple scent, with a very realistic assortment of various apples notes, which are the dominant ones. Crispy, juicy apples, not too sweet not yet airy and clean like that of Zara's own Vibrancy Adventure or Applejuice (and the Chanel Chance Eau Tendre it wants to imitate), or Elizabeth Taylor's Forever, or the gorgeous Floro by Jeroboam for further reference. It is a more sticky apple compared to those, but not yet a proper sweetened on candied one. It position itself in the middle. With a touch of acquatic just in the opening. Most of all you can smell their peel, their olfactive nature more true to the fruit then a proper juice, and they are definitely both the red and green (and yellow!!) types. This is a kind of apple that I like, more realistic, a la Jo Malone style! It is preferable to have this kind of assortment of the same fruit then to mix different ones in a "macedonia" effect, at least for my taste, but then again I am not a typical fruity perfumes lover. A touch of red and purple berries can be felt, pheraps making the whole scent a little more sweet and juvenile (well, even more then an apple based perfume already is). I think a smidge of vanilla and cedar are surely present too, I can feel a little wood (similar to the base of Zara Wonder Rose Sublime but more soft, that sort of caramelized cedar) but it doesn't appear to be at the base (in the sense of end notes of the pyramid), this woody facet accompanies the initial blast of apples notes, it's the vanilla that comes later to sweeten it, instead the dry down is all wild berries (they usually bother me a little, I can only bear them when really well done, as in Tutù Blanc by Gritti for instance). It bheaves as an edt so it doesn't last more then three hours on me, with the dry down becoming a skin scent that last even more; sillage is intimate, but I wouldn't want for anything more since I see myself using this rarely, before my early morning summer walk or after a morning shower, when I want just a burst of optimism to start the day. Performance is true to its claim. I liked very much the idea of a known perfumer engaging in scents for childrens but making them suitable for grown-ups also (at least that is how this were marketed). This little collection, comprised of three very enjoyable scents, was also called Zara Emotions (like the previous line), their price and presentation is immaculate (packaging was offered in two option, one being a sort of candy wrapping!!!), the color of the liquid and cap matching, the shape of the bottle quite nice to look at, so all in all very appealing and beautiful as a gift! Jo's signature phrase on it was: "Dancing away with cartwheels and laughter", and I think it describes really well the overall mood. After all, who doesn't like to heed their inner child now and then?

I have a discovery set of the three Glace perfumes by Jo Malone for Zara. Although they are aimed at kids, they are pleasant but are very simple, sweet compositions. Hip Hop Red Apple is perhaps the freshest of the collection, but is still a sweet, fruity scent. As befits the name, it is an apple scent. HHRA opens with realistic, crisp apple, initially green and fresh like a Granny Smith. It becomes sweeter as it develops, but the crisp tart apple remains, keeping things fresh. The berry note follows, adding fruity, cordial-like sweetness. There is a hint of a caramel undertone, creating a candy apple effect. It fades to a musky skin scent with apple remaining until final fade. Sillage is intimate and longevity is moderate. A pleasant, nicely-balanced scent, HHRA is equal parts sweet and fresh. It is youthful and light-hearted, easy to wear in warm weather. A simple yet multifaceted apple scent for young women. Quite lovely. 3/5.

It's the closest I've come to find a realistic apple fragrance. Unfortunately that doesn't last long, the crisp juiciness goes away after 20mins, and after that it turns into a skin scent which smells more like apple flavored sweets. It's still a nice and fresh, easy to wear and simple fragrance, if only the opening stayed for at least a few hours, this would be my perfect fresh scent. 🍏🎻 Zara made this together with Jo Malone, so I can just picture Zara debating if this is long lasting enough, and Jo, the queen of weak fragrances waving her hand and saying "Naah, its fine". At least this is cheap enough not to be mad about, but it's literally the only reason I wouldn't repurchase.