Gloria (2002)
by Cacharel

I found this fragrance nearly ten years ago, before I discovered perfume on the internet. I was looking for an almond fragrance and tried this at the perfume counter in Boots. It was a complete revelation, most perfume I had bought before was floral or green, and didn't sit well on my skin and so I didn't wear often. Gloria is sweet and oriental, with amber and a touch of almondy amaretto. Utterly delicious.

Gloria stands with many of the more expensive "high end" fragrances, and I still really enjoy wearing it on days I need a perfume "hug". The dry down is very comforting, sweet and almondy and it makes me feel warm and happy. This is definitely a fragrance for autumn and winter, it does not wear too well on me in the summer, it is too sweet in the heat.

This perfume has been multi-bottle-worthy, and I am now onto my third (and have been trying to find it on Ebay since it was discontinued). I also have the bath oil (which also works great as a room fragrance in a burner!), the mist and the lotion.

It's a crime that Cacharel discontinued Gloria. It's certainly the best scent that they have ever made, head and shoulders above the likes of the shouty, loud and brash Amor Amor and its ilk. The only other perfume I have found which smells anywhere similar to Gloria on me is Guerlain Spiriteuse Double Vanille which to me shows how good Gloria actually is.

22nd June, 2011.

Boozy amaretto, cherry tobacco, vanilla and woods - similar to guerlain spiritueuse double vanille with a better less cloying drydown.

30th November, 2010. (Last Edited: 5th January, 2012.)

My first impression of Gloria was that it was most certainly strong. I was right. The first smell of it was quite overwhelming but I decided to buy it anyway and found out later, much to my pleasure, the smell was powdery, very sensual and exactly what I wanted in a perfume. Suitable for evening wear and whenever u feel powerfully feminine. Love it.

8th August, 2007.

I Love Gloria, but I wish it were a lot stronger. It is considered a fresh Oriental and the notes are: Vanilla, Musk, Amaretto, Bittersweet Italian Almond Liquor, Ambergris, Bulgarian Rose, Hibiscus. It will be a keeper for sure.

22nd January, 2007.

I checked this fragrance from a box I have with samples I've got with my wife when visiting fragrance stores or buying fragrances.

Last week I test Nemo, also from Cacharel and now, when spray Gloria on a test paper I felt several notes repeated from Nemo (a sweet woody-like note) and Allure. The top notes are nice, a bit delicious and spicy and stays for a long time, then a middle note of roses adds to the former ones and finally a note of vanilla appears as a base note. Didn't felt the amaretto note, maybe was the "yummy" note.

The result is delicious, sensual, blended in a better way than Amor Amor (which gave me several stomach aches when smelled it). It's a romantic fragrance that shows an attractive woman through spicy and gourmand notes, more suitable for an evening use or at an office, in occasions where a woman wants to show herself. It can be used in both summer and winter seasons, and it's better aimed for a range of age between 18 and 40 years.

29th October, 2006.

I find the Body Shop's Altaro a dead ringer for Gloria at half the price. A low-key, warm, foody scent. Pleasant, especially for autumn.

14th June, 2006.