Intuition (2000)
by Estée Lauder

I've never really been a fan of Estee Lauder fragrances, I always found them to smell slightly odd to my nose, however Intuition surprised me to say the least.

I really enjoyed the citrusy opening which was refreshing and instantly reminded me of Summer. I just loved the way the lemon, grapefruit and bergamot blended so well together creating a scent that was sweet and lively.

Unfortunately it is scents with these citrusy openings that never blend well with my skin chemistry, and sure enough this beautiful scent turned to rotten grapefruit when I wore it.

Despite the fact that this fragrance and I are not meant to be, I still admire this scent when worn by other people.

The heart of Intuition becomes a soft and somewhat powdery floral blend, which is absolutely gorgeous. The rose note is an absolute standout and it gives this fragrance that classy, feminine touch. I'll also agree with the other reviewers here that sensed a vanilla note in Intuition, it is certainly present for my nose as well, particularly in the drydown.

I actually adore the bottle design of Intuition, which is surprising because I very rarely pay attention to a fragrance's packaging. The oval shaped bottle with the slightly off-centre, abstract cap is clearly something you would take pride in displaying on your dresser.

The lasting strength was great on other people, however on myself, not only did it smell off but it also didn't last. I do urge you not to do a blind purchase on this fragrance because you may end up with the same results as me. Apart from that this fragrance is a crisp, pleasant and casual scent which I highly recommend.

4th June, 2011.

Intuition’s spiced citrus and light floral top notes steer well clear of the cheap hard candy effect that plagues so many fruity floral scents. I attribute much of the accord’s delightful quality to its abstract nature. Rather than imitate a particular fruit, a cocktail, or a bubblegum flavor, it evokes an unnamed, imaginary fruit, and is all the better for it.

Intuition evolves quickly into a mild, sweet, fruity floral oriental that’s perfectly polite and pleasant to wear, if also nondescript. Both the fruit and the floral bouquet remain abstract – evidence, I imagine, of effective blending. Unfortunately, while attractive and amiable, both are also more bland than I’d like. It’s Intuition’s drydown, though, that ultimately lets it down. Intuition is one of those rare fragrances that grows stronger, not weaker, as it dries down, and its base notes center on a soapy rose accord that’s both strident and chemically sour. As the rose’s volume increases it moves from disappointing to outright irritating, so that after three or four hour’s wear Intuition becomes an olfactory nuisance. Lauder has done much better, not least in Pleasures, which shares some of Intuition’s fruity floral content and mild, abstract quality, though in a more purely floral context.

11th January, 2011.

My bottle reads "INTUITION Summer In Bloom". It's minty/musky/musty/soapy/very boring. It's been sitting there for 3 years. IDEA - I will use it up as a toilet spray.

28th August, 2010.

Sour powder on me. Oh, I was just prompted that this review is too short and I need to make it longer. OK, it's still sour powder on me.

16th June, 2010.

Sharp astringency lasts for over an hour on me before finally settling down to a nice floral on faint, creamy amber. By this time, the scent itself is very faint unfortunately.

23rd August, 2008.

I got a mini bottle of Intuition as a promotion. Although it is a very nice fragrance, I don't get anything incredible with this perfume. I can definitely smell mandarine. May be that why I prejudged it, because I am usually a fan of powdery fragrances. Well, it is definitely nice. Moreover, I get the most compliments with Intuition. People say that they can smell me even when I am meters away. And they like it. This is why I like to give it a try.

1st June, 2008.