Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce Rosa Excelsa by Dolce & Gabbana

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I recently found a box of old samples that I had purchased and never got around to reviewing. Most of them were women’s perfumes, including this 2016 entry from Dolce & Gabbana, Dolce Rosa Excelsa. By now, it’s probably not getting much attention, but I figured that I’d give it a go anyhow. How does it smell? Perform? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Rosa Excelsa Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, Turkish rose, neroli, musk, water lily, sandalwood, papaya flower, cashmere wood

Click here to try: Dolce Rosa Excelsa

My Full Review

Upon first spraying I can pick up the rose, lily, and musk right away. The lily is fairly strong at first, when compared to the other notes in the composition. Beyond that, there is a very faint neroli, that doesn’t seem to stick around for all that long.

Rosa Excelsa is a light rose blend, with a definite watery quality provided by the lily, which I actually enjoy a fair bit.

There is neroli here to. On my skin, it is mostly relegated to the opening and the transition into a soapier sort of scent. During the dry down, it’s pretty much gone. It does provide a nice citrus touch and some sweetness.

As it moves along, this begins to take on more of a soapy rose aroma. The musk and wood notes, peak through more so than they had been and Rosa Excelsa, feels cleaner and a tad crisp. It has a very light spice and a hint of creaminess for a time.

The only real changes to my nose for the rest of the wear are the increased musk, a bit more wood, and less floral notes outside of the roses. The watery aroma of the lily and musk combo hangs around, just less pronounced.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage of this perfume is light and it hovers close to the skin, for the entirety of the wear. Very sheer. I can spray it multiple times, in the same spot, and it isn’t going fill up a room or venture far.

If you don’t want a powerhouse, this can be a plus. The projection ability just isn’t there, nor does it really need to be with this D&G scent.

The longevity is okay, not even good. It lasted in the 5-6 hour range, on my skin. The latter half of which, is when this is quite a musky mix with those light woods in the background.

It sort of reminds me of Lovely by SJP, with a stronger rose presence and not as heavy of a musk note. Not a bold scent, not sillage bomb, and not one that’s going to last and last. Pretty mediocre to standard across the board.

Seasonally, it strikes me as a warmer weather wear. More springtime, than summer. Although, it could be worn during the colder months, as it really doesn’t project itself all that much.

That light lily and rose blend just fits so much better when the sun is shining and there is some warmth to the air.

It is somewhat versatile, in that it can be a casual daily wear or office type of scent. Rosa Excelsa is very low key and isn’t prone to be offensive, for the most part.

Not really a sexy kind of perfume, somewhat pretty, but mostly just pleasant. It wouldn’t be the fragrance that you’d likely be reaching for, going out to the bars or even going on a date.

Overall Impressions of Dolce Rosa Excelsa

Do I like this perfume? Eh, it’s not bad. However, it also doesn’t grab my attention. I feel like I’ve smelled this before with so many other perfumes and it doesn’t break any new ground. The rose is decent, but by no means amazing.

I do like the water lily note and musky dry down period. Those were the highlights, but not enough for a full endorsement…outside of getting a really cheap bottle.

The main drags are the performance and the overall smell. The former is subpar and the latter is pretty middle of the road. Definitely not one of Dolce & Gabbana’s best fragrances, though, not atrocious either.

It’s got a good bit of sweetness, a somewhat uplifting aroma, and a real simplicity to the composition. On the whole, it’s forgettable. Though, I certainly do not hate the way that it smells.

10 Best Smelling Dolce and Gabbana Perfumes

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Here is our list of the top eight perfumes from the Italian design house Dolce & Gabbana. It is kind of tough to narrow down this brand’s fragrances to just a handful because they not only have a ton of options, but also a ton of decent to very good scents.

D&G doesn’t make too many ladies’ perfumes that miss the mark entirely. So, I’ve selected ten of them, which I feel stand out from the pack.

What are the Best D&G Perfumes for Her?

Best New D&G Perfume

The Only One Intense by Dolce & Gabbana Eau De Parfum Spray for Women 3.4 Ounce– Dolce & Gabbana have had a lot of forgettable releases in the recent years. Not necessarily bad, just nothing to write home about.

However, The Only One series has been very nice, especially the 2020 Intense version. Actually, it’s pretty similar in some respects to The One Desire, listed below (that one is more of a sweet gourmand, this is more floral creamy).

Sweet, creamy, white floral notes, with a light citrus/apple start. It’s got plenty of jasmine in there as the main flower. Vanilla, cashmere wood, and coconut give it that milky warm embrace.

Not too heavy and can actually venture into warmer weather. Maybe not the height of summer, but it’s not a bad reach in the spring. Fantastic performer.

Dark & Sweet

Dolce & Gabbana Eau de Parfum Spray, The One Desire, 2.5 Ounce
Sexy and sultry, for the woman who commands attention anywhere she goes. It’s not a heavy and obnoxious scent, rather, one that is light and invigorating but memorable.

The One Desire opens with a sweet caramel note to go along with vanilla, white floral notes, and an undercurrent of citrus fruit. The result is a creamy and feminine scent that takes a different direction than does the original The One perfume, which it is based on.

It has a gourmand quality that is delicious and appropriate for colder weather due to its sheer coziness. Notes include: bergamot, mandarin, lychee, lily of the valley, tuberose.

the one desire

Best Selling

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue By Dolce & Gabbana For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz
One of the most popular fragrances for women. Light blue is airy, light, and subtle. Great for casual wear.

From the start, Light Blue is a bright and shimmering perfume with a crisp apple note and tart lemon, providing the top. It’s a very clean scent that loses some of its fruitiness and moves into more of an earthy floral scent as it dries down, the rose note is particularly noticeable.

Notes include: rose, apple, musk and jasmine. Light Blue while not a heavy perfume by any means, has great longevity, and can go all day on one’s skin.  My Review of Light Blue for Women

light blue

Lovely Flanker

Light Blue Italian Love– Light Blue gets a new issuance every year, sometimes with slight alterations, some with major. This is one of the former, but a really great addition to the Light Blue lineup.

Italian Love has a zesty lemon note, with sweeter hints coming through, and less of the apple note than the original above. The musk mallow and sandalwood here give Italian Love a creaminess, especially once that initial citrus burst has faded a bit.

It’s fresh, but not as sharp as the original can be. The woods are there and really come through in the dry down of the scent. Still, it has a light summery feel that simply works well.

Gorgeous Amber Perfume

Velvet Amber Sun– This one is a part of D&G’s more expensive Velvet series of fragrances. I like Amber Sun the best, as it gives me something different and really shows off one of my favorite notes, amber.

This one has a very light ylang-ylang floral note in the opening act, that is subdued by labdanum and vanilla. Fairly sweet early on, with a smoky and light Oriental spice to it. Cinnamon and a bit of coriander.

The incense-like smoke doesn’t dominate the composition. Instead, it gets woodier, warmer, somewhat creamy, with a balsamic resinous touch to wrap things up. The performance is long-lasting, but Velvet Amber Sun can be a tough bottle to track down. For sure, one of Dolce’s best.

Incenso

Velvet Incenso– This one is another of the Velvet lineup and more of a niche interest than something for everyone. Nevertheless, Velvet Incenso is a great perfume.

It’s a blend of resinous notes: amber, labdanum, elemi, benzoin with smoky incense, vanilla, and some cashmere wood. It’s not overly smoky, but has a great sweetness and balsamic embrace that makes Incenso a cozy wear during autumn and winter.

It’s also not completely flat, as it has a slight peppery kick up top and some further spice from a few other notes. Yet, it’s tame and utterly wearable. The incense note is the star, but the balance here is too good, for it to be solely about that. Incenso Review

Fresh Fruity Floral

D&g 3 L’imperatrice Ladies – Edt Spray 3.3 oz– Fresh and sweet from the fruity and floral notes. This is a great everyday casual alternative to a scent like Light Blue.

L’Imperatrice 3 has almost an aquatic feel to it due to the abundance of watermelon and kiwi notes, particularly in the opening hour or so.

These two are also joined by rhubarb, which gives this D&G fragrance, a distinct quality. It’s youthful, bright, and has some underlying floral/musk to give L’Imperatrice some needed depth. Notes include: kiwi, watermelon, musk, pink cyclamen.

3 l'imperatrice

Balanced Daily Wear

Dolce & Gabbana The One By Dolce & Gabbana For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5 Oz /75 Ml.
Classy, feminine, and all around a great smelling perfume for women. The One is much more fruity than is The One Desire. Peach, litchi, plum, and bergamot play support staff to the prominent vanilla note.

This is all wrapped up in a warm amber note, which gives The One a sumptuous baked goods quality.

As it dries down, this perfume has a woody powdery aroma that smells delightful. Notes include: plum, vetiver bergamot, fruity floral, Madonna lily, muguet, lychee, jasmine, vanilla.

dolce_gabbana_the_one_for_women

Best Winter D&G Perfume

Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme Intense Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 oz
Warm and complex scent that was released in 2012.  It’s a dynamic blend of exotic notes that give confident women the chance to stand out.

It’s another sweet gourmand type of fragrance with marshmallow being the main attraction this time. However, it’s not just about the sugary sweetness as Pour Femme Intense has a bouquet of floral notes from tuberose to neroli to orange blossom.

All of this sits on top of a sandalwood base which gives it a smooth woody aroma in the background. Notes include: green mandarin, neroli, tuberose, orange blossom, sweet marshmallow.

dolce pour femme intense

Best Light Blue?

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau Intense For Women Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3 oz– Yes, the flanker for the original Light Blue, needs to be on the list. It is at least the equal to its predecessor, and for many, it is the superior of the two.

The citrus top of lemon is really great and it is joined by the usual crisp apple note. Intense is fresh, clean, and sparkles with its bright personality. The musk is light and it features the same amberwood in the base, as the men’s version does.

Light Blue Eau Intense feels more ‘aquatic’ than the original, even without over marine notes, similar but with a bit more bite. Not really for those who don’t like citrus, that can feel ‘sharp’, at times.

It doesn’t have that rose note of the original, which is the main difference, but does include more jasmine. Light Blue Eau Intense Review

Alright, that’s going to do it for the current version of this list. I will come back and update it, every so often, when a new release from D&G is worthy of being included. As for now, these options should get you started, toward finding a great Dolce perfume to wear.

Dolce Shine by Dolce & Gabbana

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Dolce Shine is one of the more recent releases from D&G’s Dolce collection of perfumes. This one came out in 2020, in a yellow bottle, with the standard black bow. I picked up a sample to test out recently for review. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it even worth a try?

What does Dolce Shine Smell Like?

Notes include: mango, grapefruit, quince, jasmine, solar orange blossom, salt accord, blond woods, white musk, and Australian sandalwood

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Shine Eau De Parfume Spray For Women, Blue, 2.5 Ounce

My Full Review

Before we get into my personal review, let’s see how D&G describes Shine: The accords of colorful juicy mango and bright jasmine combine with sundrenched blond woods to create the new solar and fruity floral Dolce Shine Eau de Parfum.

Shine does indeed open up with a juicy mango note, which is also paired with a grapefruit note, giving it a bright tropical feeling. Parts of this perfume really has a beachy sort of vibe. There are solar infused notes, a creamy suntan lotion undertone, and a dash of salt.

Not to say that this is an aquatic or anything, it definitely isn’t. However, the vibe of a sunny day spent along the beach is totally there. The ‘solar’ notes have been used by a lot of fragrances over the past handful of years and the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing.

The creaminess of the floral notes and sandalwood is a really great addition to the composition. I know the jasmine is supposed to be the main attraction out of the floral notes, but I honestly get a fairly equal amount of the orange blossom. Particularly, early on in the wear.

Then, there is also a tuberose which seems to overtake the jasmine note, as well. By that point, the orange blossom for me is almost non-existent. Which isn’t great, since that is one of my favorite floral ingredients.

That’s about what I get for the rest of the way.  A somewhat tropical floral scent with a creamy/buttery finish and fruity undertones. Not a super complicated one, but I like the smell quite a lot.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Dolce Shine isn’t a heavy fragrance, nor does it really project itself all that far. It’s soft and sunny, but does manage to hang around, so that you catch whiffs of it during the wear.

But, on the whole, I’d say that it’s a touch above average, especially early on. You do get a 45-60 minute period of time, in which it does have decent amount of projection. Maybe 4-6 feet from the skin, at its peak. After that, much closer 1-3 foot radius for the rest of the way.

On my skin, it lasts 6-6.5 hours. Not great, but fairly standard. Shine isn’t a powerhouse or a workhorse, so don’t expect something that’s going to be an all day wear.

Seasonally, spring and summer. I’d go more with the summertime versus spring, as you’ll probably have a greater number of casual daytime opportunities to wear it. It doesn’t come across as something to wear in the colder months. Many other options for that.

It is a versatile wear. Shine isn’t going to offend nor blow out the room, so, you could wear it to work or school. It’s great as a casual daytime wear or for many other occasions. It’s pretty and attractive, just not a sexy nightlife monster kind of perfume.

Mostly going to serve as something to wear around town or whatever daytime function that you have to attend to.

Overall Impressions of Dolce Shine

Do I like this fragrance? I do enjoy the scent, particularly the opening act with the mango. I don’t have many complaints about the aroma itself, but the performance isn’t all that great.

I would’ve liked it to be a bit stronger and hang around for at least a few more hours. If that were the case, this would be an excellent value play for warmer weather. As it stands, it is interesting and has its merits, but not something that is a must have.

The good news, is that this will probably be on sale at some point fairly soon, and could be added to someone’s rotation. Good, but not something that I’d necessarily want to come back to again and again.

Shine is one of the better smelling D&G releases from this line. The performance is mid, but the aroma itself is worthwhile. Just don’t overpay and it should work out fine.

Light Blue Forever by D&G

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Light Blue Forever was the flanker release in the Light Blue series for 2021. Since I’ve been reviewing all of the men’s scents from this D&G lineup, I figured that I should do some more of the women’s as well. How does this one smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Light Blue for Women Forever Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, apple, blood orange, musk, orange blossom, white flowers, cedar, cashmeran

Click here to try: Light Blue Forever

My Full Review

So, the men’s version of Forever changed things up with a hyper-realistic grapefruit note. I was expecting something like that with the women’s. However, it seems to be an updated remix of the original Light Blue.

The apple note and the cedar are toned down in Forever versus the original. But, up top you get that same lemon note, joined by blood orange, and a pretty prominent orange blossom. Very juicy citrus opening, that I actually like quite a bit.

The balance among the fruit notes is better here, than the original. Since the cedar note isn’t blasting your nose, it’s not as woody fresh, but that lovely citrus and apple blend is keeping the clean sunny vibes going.

The lemon will quiet down some and the blood orange with orange blossom emerge as the leaders of the pack. It feels sweeter, more floral, and less tart than Light Blue.

Further along, it will be more of a white floral scent, with fruity tones, musk, and some light woody notes. Cashmeran comes out some in the final act.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this one starts to really approach the original and Intense, unlike some of the earlier flankers. Others in the Light Blue series could be pretty light with how they project. This one, is well above average and actually performs very well on my skin.

As far as longevity, it lasts 8-8.5 hours for me. Again, it’s not a scent that’s just going to fade away. Those other flankers could be in the 4-6 hour range, so you get some value with Forever.

Seasonally, obviously we’re going to be late spring and early summer. It’s built for the warmer weather and sits beautifully in the air.

It’s good for casual or just general daytime wear. If you go lightly with Forever, it can be pretty versatile with its applications. More of a pretty fragrance than something that’s super sexy. Yet, it certainly has its appeal.

Overall Impressions of Light Blue Forever

Overall, do I like Light Blue Forever? Yes, it’s nothing that’s super unique but it’s about what you’d expect from a Light Blue scent. Very clean and fresh summertime wear, lots of citrus, and neroli.

If you’re not into the citrus ingredients, you can pretty safely pass on this one. If you like the original Light Blue, you might actually prefer this, if the cedar bothered you in that one.

The performance is really good and the scent has some enjoyable moments. I like the dry down more so probably, since the fruit overload could get on my nerves at times.

Forever is probably a pretty safe blind buy, if you’re familiar with the Light Blue fragrances already. If intense citrus bothers you, this might. Yet, it’s pretty easy to wear overall. It’s already been discontinued, so supplies are going to be much more limited moving forward.

Light Blue Sunset in Salina by D&G

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Sunset in Salina is one of the flankers from the women’s Light Blue line. It was released back in 2015. Since I am currently finishing up my review of all of the men’s Light Blue colognes, I took the opportunity to pick up a few more for the ladies, including Salina. How does this one smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Sunset in Salina smell like?

Notes include: orange blossom, vine, violet leaf, amber, freesia, jasmine, musk, cedar

Click here to try: Sunset in Salina

My Full Review

This is going to be a different take on the Light Blue name and doesn’t have too much in common with the original, other than a few notes.

It starts off with the orange blossom already out in full effect. Now, this is not just the flower itself, but there does seem to be a little zest of the fruit too.

It’s a slightly citrusy white floral start, with an ozonic breeziness and a touch aquatic. The aquatic aspect is actually just the freesia and violet leaf doing their thing. Luckily for me, the violet leaf isn’t too heavy in the mix.

Another part that I want to touch on, is the greenish aroma that Sunset in Salina has. Vine and that violet leaf, give this one a fresh leafy boost, that I think works really well. It’s like sitting in a flower garden on the Italian coast during summer.

For a time, this does feel a bit more violet leaf heavy. When mixed with the other notes, it has a hair spray sort of vibe for a time. For me, it does go away.

A bit further along, the greenish parts will start to fade. This becomes much more of a white floral dominant scent. Orange blossom still reigns supreme followed by, jasmine and freesia.

Very clean and not nearly as woody fresh as the original. The cedar is still here, but it’s a faint impression in the dry down.

The final act is a more run together mix of the floral notes, a surprisingly strong amber giving Salina a warm resinous quality, and musk.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty middle of the road. It comes across as being lighter than others in the series, without much of a trail left behind. The projection, outside of the opening, is like 2 or maybe 3 feet. Not a beast at all.

The longevity too isn’t great. It’s okay at around 5-5.5 hours, on my skin. I don’t have too much of a problem with it for what the use case of this perfume is. Unless you really over-payed, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Seasonally, late spring and summer, depending on where you live. Sunset in Salina is built for the hottest days and its light cleanliness hangs very nicely in the air.

This is more of a casual or daily wear for the summer months. Not a nightlife beast or one that is particularly sexy. It lives up to its name, as I could totally see this as something a woman would wear walking through an island market or sitting outdoors for a drink in the Mediterranean.

Overall Impressions of Sunset in Salina

Overall, do I like Sunset in Salina? Yes, I was surprised that I enjoyed this Light Blue as much as I did. Based on the notes, I wasn’t sure that I was going to be into it. It’s not amazing or a must have, just very nice for a specific season.

The orange blossom is nice and so is the dry down, with the amber and musk. Much smoother and less green at that point, even if I personally enjoyed the vine note early on.

It’s got the same spirit as the rest of the series, but doesn’t just try to clone Light Blue.

Performance isn’t great. If you need an 8+ hour wear, you probably won’t get it with this one. My skin doesn’t tend to ‘eat up’ perfumes and I still only managed the 5 or so hours with Salina.

Light Blue Sunset in Salina does seem to be one that has split opinions on it. As such, I wouldn’t grab an expensive bottle, if you’re blind buying.

Though, since it came out years ago at this point, the cheapies may be harder to come by. $50-70 seems like an okay range, under $40 it’s a pretty safe buy.

To me, it’s worth a shot, especially if it sounds interesting to you.