2 Oeillet (2004)
by Prada

Holy smoke! Where has this fragrance been all my life? I've been on the hunt for the perfect carnation fragrance and in the process came across this one, and in so doing found a truly amazing (all-around) fragrance. Carnation has a naturally clove-like smell, but the success of a carnation fragrance depends on whether it has the proper accompanying notes. Scents like Ava Luxe Kretek and Floris Malmaison can take it too far, becoming too spicy and Guerlain Terracotta Voile d'Ete (an excellent fragrance) dilutes the carnation note with too many floral notes. The Terracotta is good but it's not the carnation-centric fragrance as it purports to be.

No.2 Oeillet gets it just right. The intial blast of carnation is woody and rich, with its natural clove spiciness and a twinge of sweet rose in the background. This fragrance, like the other Prada Exclusif parfums, is fairly linear. However there is a slow and subtle development. Over the first half hour there is a mild sweetening as the sharpness of the carnation blends into a sandalwood-like background and the composition itself becomes slightly powdery and musky. After an hour the fragrance settles into a musky sandalwood with a hint of heliotrope and a lingering carnation aroma.

The sillage and longevity are superb with No.2 - again, typical of the line. It's truly a shame that Prada keeps these parfums so quiet because it would truly add luster to the house of Prada Parfums if only a few more people could experience them.

22nd August, 2009.

Sensuous, rich, layered without being complicated. Modern and classic at once. Elegant. Sillage is clean and it lasts forever on my skin....it actually has that ability to make it seem as though it IS the scent of my skin. The carnation dominates throughout but is never sweet or cloying. Quickly becoming my signature.

1st April, 2009.