Michael (2000)
by Michael Kors

I normally love woody oriental fragrances, my favorite (until recently) being Euphoria by Calvin Klein. I am not a girly girl so I never thought of trying out any florals but when I realized that half the Earth's population is using Euphoria, I decided to go hunting for better (perfume) fields!! That is when I stumbled across Michael after speaking to my beauty consultant. She whipped this perfume out and happily announced "this is not a perfume - this is a statement" then proceeded to spray it on me. The opening notes were so impressive that I waited for the middle and base notes to disappoint me and what an endless wait it was because this perfume held its own powerfully for 14 straight hours and continued in my dirty laundry basket. I am in love with this fragrances - it smells like a sophisticated, smooth gardenias with a twist of warm spices. I still cannot believe that this is categorized as a white floral fragrance.

It smells like sun and sand and sea and naughty summer flings. It smells like early morning walks on the beach in Capri. It smells like lazy days by the poolside in Hawaii. It smells like sunsets in St. Barth. It smells like pina coladas in St. Tropez. It is fresh and warm and green while being spicy and creamy and indulgent at the same time. I just love it!

Where is it???? I am a huge fan of the original KORS from 2002. Big and boozy, with lots of red wine and roses. (I have three bottles of the juice stashed away.) I guess I expected the same from the "new" Michael Kors. I sprayed this twice, and oh....maybe the bottle was full of water, but i got nothing. Light, airy scent. BORING! This would be perfect for a schoolgirl skipping jump rope, but not for a 30 something year old woman. This is so casual, so plain. Not worth the money.

If I hadn't been given this perfume as a gift, I wouldn't have bought it. It's not awful, but there is nothing different or outstanding about it. In fact it was clearly desigened by the corporate powers that be to be as "pedestrian" as possible so that they could sell a ton of it. It's so middle-of-the-road neutral that it can be worn by a woman, or a man. I would give it a neutral thumb, but instead I'm giving it a thumb down because it leaves me so bored and uninspired that I know I'll never reach for it again.

I just love this one. I tend to spray lightly (I have the mini bottle, and have just ordered a large one -- I have a feeling I'm going to spending lots of time in this), and found that the sillage is moderate, just the way I like it, on me. It wafts when I walk, but it doesn't enter the room before I do.

I get mandarin and freesia first, and then the incense kicks in with warm spice. Just a bit later I get the tuberose, and the peony. The tuberose is certainly the star, but it's not a big screaming Fracas-type tuberose. The peony is cool and dry, probably the effect of the arum lily and orris, and not a fresh green peony. From here to the end, I get spicy florals, supported by warm woods. I adore it. It may be too heavy for warm weather, but it's cold, wet January now, and I plan to wear this a great deal.

Very prominent tropical florals with an interesting musk base. Having grown up with frangipani and jasmine in 'the tropics', the character of this scent resonated with me and, sigh, I went for the big bottle.

This scent can be overpowering; it's not subtle by any means. It also lacks complexity and, looking back, those tropical florals can degrade into old-lady-gardenia-perfume territory.

I have edp, edt, lotion, and leg shine. I love this fragrance. It smells of tropical tuberose, and it creates a feminine, joyful atmosphere. I don't think it's heavy, nor do I think it has much sillage. Actually, I wish it was a bit stronger; it fades somewhat quickly and I have to refresh it during the day. The incense notes are very, very faint on me, as well. I don't mind, because this is a beautiful, elegant, and radiant take on tuberose, and this fragrance suits my chemistry perfectly. It's a very "me" fragrance, that I'm sure has a permanent part in my fragrance wardrobe. The bottles are gorgeous, too.