To begin sampling vanilla fragrances, I decided, why not start with the most vanilla of all the vanillas I have...The notes in Ligne St. Barth's Vanille are:Top: Vanilla
Heart: Vanilla
Base: Vanilla, caramel
I received this sample unsolicited. I must admit I was a little afraid to go with straight vanilla, and wouldn't have chosen it on my own. I thought it might be overpowering, too much of a good thing, and that I might smell like a human candle from Pier 1. Instead, I have this pleasant warmth and sweetness surrounding me all day. This vanilla is not harsh or acoholic, but creamy sweetness. The caramel comes through like the slightest hint of cooked sugar...Bob referred to this as the "burnt match" smell. Don't worry--he assures me he meant that as a compliment, and he must have because he's been telling me how good I smell all day.
The other thing I like about this scent is how compatible it is with my environment. Right after I put this on, Bob put on his scent, and usually I worry about the clash and how I can't smell mine over his and whether this affects my (limited) ability to detect certain notes, but today they blended in a lovely way. And then I went to the hair salon, and the vanilla held its own against the scent of color and shampoo and conditioner and styling products like a champ, changing its shape a bit in my nose every time we encountered a new smell in the air.
This also wears well in the heat. I worried it might turn sticky in the humidity, but it hasn't. I like flexibility in a fragrance. I'd like to try layering this scent with other fragrances I might've licked (uh, make that "might have liked"...that typo is too funny to fix!) but for the lack of warmth and see how it works. I'll be sure to let you know the results. I can see why Vanille would be a nice addition to any collection. May have to add it to mine!
*photo from LusciousCargo
