By Designer

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.

6 Best Issey Miyake Perfumes for Her

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Issey Miyake has been a popular yet often underappreciated designer brand for decades now. Mr. Miyake passed away in 2022, leaving behind a brand legacy that continues to persist.  It’s L’eau d’Issey series of fragrances struck a chord with its releases for both men and women.

However, I think the popularity of perfumes was more evenly distributed on the ladies’ side of things. In this post, I want to present five options that are currently still available from Miyake, which can be considered the best of the lot. 

What are the Top Issey Miyake Perfumes for Her?

Fresh and Aquatic D’Issey

Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey Pure Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.0 Ounce– Pure is a more sheer and aquatic version of the original L’eau D’Issey listed below. It keeps the rose and lily notes, along with adding actual marine notes to the top end.

Pure kicks off with a somewhat salty mix of ambergris and the oceanic notes. At first, you may get a blend of the floral ingredients (added jasmine and orange blossom), but the lily will ultimately win out here. Rose, sits just underneath it in terms of strength.

The opening is more fresh and crisp, while the latter stages soften up with muskier and woody base. Not too complex, but can be a very nice light option for spring/summer. 

A Newer Entry

Issey Miyake A Drop d’Issey for Women Eau de Parfum Spray, 3 Ounce– A Drop d’Issey is one of the more recent releases from the brand which has really taken off. Released in 2021, this perfume is well balanced in what it offers from aroma to longevity to use case.

Lilac and Damask rose open things up on the floral front. These notes are joined by ‘solar’ notes, which have been a pretty widespread staple in designer perfumery the past five years or so. Things are light, musky, and rose dominant for me at this very early stage.

That will shift and lilac will come to be the heavier weighting of the two floral notes. Almond and vanilla add a creamy and lotion-like quality for a time, before it all settles into more of a powdery lilac and musk perfume.

The performance for me was good and this is an easy to wear scent, that should get plenty of use in one’s collection. Not the most incredible scent ever, but if you need an all-around scent and enjoy lilac, this is a fantastic option. A Drop d’Issey review

The Popular Original

L’eau De Issey By Issey Miyake For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.3 Oz– The original L’eau d’Issey is a much more complex and aquatic perfume than is Pure. It still has an aquatic-like aroma thanks to: lily, lotus, calone, and melon. 

Less oceanic, more of a flower garden aroma. The melon provides some underlying sweetness to counter the bit of spice and green-ish qualities at the start. As things move along, L’eau d’Issey does begin to inhabit its white floral and aquatic nature.

Freesia, lotus, rose, and the lily seem to be the main focus here. This one is an easy to wear perfume that gives off a classic clean smell. 

Honey and Floral

Issey Miyake Eau de Parfum Spray, L’eau D’issey Absolue, 3 Ounce– Another flanker of the original, with less of the same structure, but still some overlap in its DNA.

Absolue introduces honey into the mix, along with some light vanilla touches. It comes across very well and not as a thick and enveloping aroma. Most of the rest of the wear is all about the floral notes, mainly jasmine and freesia, with some lotus tossed in to boot. 

A good option for those who want a toned down aquatic element. There is still some, but it isn’t nearly to the same level as before.

The Neroli Entry

Issey Miyake A Scent Soleil De Neroli, 3.3 Ounce– A change of pace from the L’eau d’Issey lineup of fragrances. As the name suggests, there is a strong presence of neroli in this one. Very clean and a opening sharp punch.

It settles. Tiare is floating around during the opening hour of the wear, but hyacinth really comes on as the scent develops. Soleil de Neroli isn’t a very complicated fragrance. You will get neroli, jasmine, and hyacinth mostly.

It comes across as fairly soapy at times, but eventually becomes a powdery and soft fragrance.

Rosy Pear and Honey

Issey Miyake – Women’s Perfume L’eau D’issey Pure Nectar De Parfum Issey Miyake EDP– Pure Nectar gives it another go with the honey note, as found in Absolue. It’s probably a bit louder here, but the note is presented in a slightly different way with pear (and citrus) and a more present rose note. 

The next phase becomes more of a pure floral with slight aquatic undertones. A bit of peony joins the rose, with a nice steady ambergris and woody base. The honey does hang around for the entirety, but the pear seems to fade out. 

Alien Flora Futura by Mugler

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Alien has been such a popular fragrance for so long, that it will seemingly never stop spinning off new flanker options based on that original concept. One of the latest perfumes from Mugler, is Alien Flora Futura, which I recently grabbed a sample of and tried out. How does it smell? How long does it last? When should it be worn? Continue below for my full take on this perfume.

What does Flora Futura Smell Like?

Notes include: orange, jasmine, white amber

Click here to try: Thierry Mugler Alien Flora Futura for Women Eau de Toilette Spray, 2.0 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Before I get into my thoughts about this fragrance, let’s see how Mugler describes it: Extraordinary flowers blossom at the heart of an addictive and fresh Eau de Toilette. Alien Flora Futura, a futuristic flower.

Alien Flora Futura celebrates the beauty of otherness: the beauty of being yourself, being different, being original. But also the beauty of hope. A hope and a uniqueness that are embodied in a desert flower. A flower of the future that blooms in a world of light.

Also to update this post, apparently this has two formulations with different notes. The other one sounds pretty interesting with night blooming cereus flowers and buddha wood. That’s not the sample that I got and the review is based on the notes I wrote above.

Upon spraying Flora Futura, I immediately pick up on citrus, a greenish aroma, and jasmine. The citrus does have an orange note (maybe orange blossom?), but it smells like there is a bit of lemon here also. I like it, it’s a pretty aroma, that does bring on memories of the original Alien.

The main differences between them, from what I can remember are: the jasmine is toned down here and so is the general power of the fragrance. Flora Futura should be a lot more tolerable for the average person versus the original Alien.

This one does have a bright sort of disposition. Quite upbeat and pleasant. Once the initial wave of citrus passes, there is more of the greenish smell and some watery elements. Like a cut flower stem floating in a vase. Some other unlisted floral note that isn’t jasmine.

As it dries down, amber and sandalwood really start to come through.  At this point, what you smell is what you get. Jasmine, amber, sandalwood, and whatever is left over of the opening citrus notes. Mostly, a light and somewhat creamy white floral fragrance.

Not very complicated or a journey with many twists and turns, but one that is nice to go on.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage with this one is pretty light to moderate. There are a lot of super loud and powerful fragrances by Mugler, but Flora Futura isn’t one of them. Not that it is weak, but I never felt as if this perfume would take over the room. A lighter and sheer sort of floral.

The longevity is decent, but not spectacular. 6-7.5 hours it’s lasted on my skin during testing. The last few hours being a skin scent. Not great, but again, this isn’t a heavy kind of fragrance.

Seasonally, Flora Futura is a spring and summer fragrance all the way. It thrives in warmer temperatures.

This could be worn casually in the daytime, to work, or any other daytime event. It is an attractive fragrance, but not bold enough for the nightlife. As a man, I do find it to be a pretty sort of scent, but wouldn’t really call it sexy.

Overall Impressions of Alien Flora Futura

Do I like this perfume? Yes, I do. It’s not an amazing fragrance, but I actually enjoyed the scent a lot. This can be a great option for those who want a lighter warm weather version of Alien. Alternatively, those who think the original is too much, may find this more to their liking.

Mostly this version is a jasmine affair. Somewhat unique and citrusy top, but full of white flowers, amber, and wood in the base.

It’s a clean, lively, and simple fragrance. The performance isn’t going to be great, but it is certainly passable in my book. Just don’t go into this thinking that Flora Futura is going to be a powerhouse.

This is a nice addition to the Alien lineup. I’m not sure if they made a futuristic floral, whatever that was supposed to mean (must be the other formulation). I do also dig Alien Fusion and Alien Goddess to about the same degree as this one. There are many more creative Mugler perfumes beyond what this accomplishes, but still very nice.

Update: I think that this one is now discontinued. Bottles are still around somewhat, though.

Prada Candy EDP by Prada

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Another sample perfume, that I got with my last Macy’s order, is Candy by Prada. This sweet gourmand fragrance was released in 2011. Since then, it has launched a bunch of different flankers under this title. How does this one stack up? What does it smell like? How does Prada Candy perform? Please continue reading below for my full review.

What does Prada Candy EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: caramel, musk, and benzoin

Click here to try: Prada Prada Candy Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 2.7 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Candy, is of course candy-like in its presentation. The caramel note reminds me of BonBon, which is another sweet fragrance that includes caramel and fruit notes. Prada Candy has that same caramel but opts to go with a musk and benzoin combination instead of the citrus.

Anyways, Candy is warm, sweet, and slightly salty. The benzoin note provides that unique, fuzzy, and somewhat vanilla-like aroma (there’s also some vanilla here too), that I have enjoyed in cologne such as Body Kouros. I was almost expecting this perfume to head into that direction, but nothing really is the same as Body Kouros, in my experience.

Prada Candy seems darker and more sophisticated than does Bonbon, which might be a nice change of pace for those looking for a sweet fragrance that isn’t too girly and for the younger crowd (not that Bonbon, necessarily is, either).

The caramel does have a good ‘thickness’ to it, never feeling like it is too light. At least in the opening stages and into the middle act.

As it dries down, I get less of the caramel note, and an increase in the benzoin/musk. Prada Candy is a pretty straightforward perfume, while it is well put together, it isn’t super complex.

The musk provides a slight spiciness to help offset the sweetness and the whole fragrance feels understated. Still warm and fairly clean, with a more hearty start, then what you’re ultimately left with.

There is a powdery aspect to this one. On my skin, I get much more of the fuzzy and musky finish. However, the powder is there for much of the wear, and I notice it mostly after the caramel has begun to subside.

While it is a sweet fragrance overall, the sweetness isn’t as persistent as you might expect with a name like Candy. You can get more of that with some of the flankers, but this isn’t always entirely a rich gourmand aroma.

Sillage, Versatilty, How Long does it Last?

Projection wise, Prada Candy is a fairly light perfume. It is low key and won’t take over a room, which is a good thing, for a sweet scent like this.

The opening is fairly potent, but it really dries down into something, softer and more manageable. Not an absolute bomb, if you’re looking for that sort of fragrance.

It will mostly stick to that 3-6 foot range off of the skin. Obviously, closer than that for the last few hours of the wear.

The longevity is good however, I was experiencing 6-7 hours with it. While that isn’t amazing by any stretch of the imagination, it isn’t one that appears to quit too early.

Testing out the sample vial, it was in that six to seven hour range, every single time I put it on. Points for consistency, Candy just isn’t a marathon runner, however.

Prada Candy is a cold weather scent but it does have versatility to be worn for pretty much any occasion. So, while in the spring/summer, you’ll probably have to go with another fragrance; Candy will be an anytime scent for the rest of the year.

I find it to be attractive and sexy enough to be worn on a date, it’s subtle, and inviting. Yet, it is still light enough to be an autumn and winter daily wear, for those who want something sweeter.

Overall Impression of Prada Candy

Overall, do I think Prada Candy is worth a buy? Yes. I don’t think it’s the most amazing fragrance ever, but it is damn good for what it is. If you don’t like sweet or caramel, then, avoid this one. However, if you want a nice autumn or wintertime fragrance, then Candy is definitely worth considering.

I do like the smell of caramel a whole lot, also benzoin, but I’m not super impressed with the combination. I don’t know, it does work well enough, Candy just never seems to hit that level of being an incredible perfume.

I don’t get any of the ‘plastic’ smell that some people talk about with this perfume. I guess that’s the benzoin to their nose. For me, it doesn’t come across that way at all. Then again, this is less powdery to my nose, also.

That caramel sweetness is nice in the opening act, which through the mid, is probably my favorite part of this fragrance. But, it doesn’t have that sugary quality that the name might indicate. The musky tail end is fine, just nothing that demands my attention.

If one were to get a good price on a bottle, it’ll probably be well worth the money spent. It’s a highly likable scent for me, but doesn’t click on all cylinders.

Midnight Romance by Ralph Lauren

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Getting back into the fragrance reviews, I want to do another one in the world of female fragrances. This is a more recent addition to the Ralph Lauren family, released in 2014, and a flanker to the original Romance.

Midnight Romance is of the fruity/floral variety of perfumes and I was interested to see how this one performs. As usual, I am going to cover how it smells, projects, how long it lasts, when it should be worn, and whether or not I think that it is worth a purchase.

What Does Midnight Romance Smell Like?

midnight romance

Notes include: peony, raspberry, vanilla, freesia, litchi, iris

Click here to try: Ralph Lauren Midnight Romance Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening blast of this EDP is a bright and colorful mix of mostly the raspberry and vanilla notes. The vanilla gives it a slight creaminess, which I think adds character to this fragrance. Yes, it’s a pretty common paring of ingredients, but I do like how Ralph Lauren presents it here.

The floral notes (mostly, iris) begin to come on about 10 minutes in, in my experience, and settles it down from becoming too much of a sweet candy-like perfume, but one that does still retain that sugary essence.

What I really like about this perfume, is that, it is a playful kind of aroma that doesn’t feel lifeless and dull to me. The raspberry creates a juicy profile, that would work for casual days, as well as romantic encounters.

Midnight Romance doesn’t get too complex but I think that for what it is, it works very well.

As Midnight Romance dries down, the peony begins to overtake the iris note, and creates a fuller floral accord. It’s a nice balance, less powdery, and the perfume becomes more of a floral/fruity perfume, than it had been prior.

The vanilla note, fades quite a bit during the latter stages of the wear. It’s still pretty easy to detect, it’s just that initial raspberry and vanilla combo, doesn’t have the same power.

So, up top you get a juicy and sweet aroma, that transitions into a sweet floral. In the end, I pick up peony, iris, raspberry, vanilla, and other assorted floral notes. Nothing too complex, but a fairly well-balanced fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection for this scent is pretty moderate. Honestly, it’s pretty good in that regard, not overbearing but not really a skin scent either. You’ll know it’s there but you definitely don’t need to overdo the sprays.

In terms of longevity, I seem to get it to last in the 6-8 hour range, which is good enough for most purposes. Though, you may need to reapply in case you need a marathon wear for one day.

Midnight Romance strikes me as more of a spring scent and I really like it in the warm weather. However, I haven’t tested it in the high heat, so I’m not too sure how it’ll hold up in those temperatures.

I feel like this would be, a solid all around scent for either school or office, but still sexy enough to use on a date. It is pretty damn appealing to my nose, as a guy.

I really don’t get what the ‘Midnight’ name comes from, it’s not a dark or really a nighttime scent. It actually leans the other way.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Midnight Romance

Overall, is Midnight Romance worth a buy? I think so. It isn’t the most amazing scent ever but it seems to do almost everything well. The scent is attractive, it lasts, it projects, and it’s versatile. It’s not my favorite from the Romance line, though, it’s near the top. 

You might want to avoid if you’re not a fan of raspberry or peony scents, but if that’s your thing, then this Ralph Lauren perfume could be a great bet.

I like the raspberry and vanilla opening act. It’s sweet and has a great creamy finish. The iris and peony are fine, but I enjoy that opening act. The raspberry keeps me involved here.

The performance is above average too. If there’s discount bottles floating around now, that could make this a value play. 

It’s honestly pretty solid all around, so, if it sounds appealing this could easily be a daily wear. The versatility and balance, makes Midnight Romance, a good pickup at the right price.