Provocative Interlude (2006)
by Elizabeth Arden

Damn it! I normally don’t like EA’s own name fragrances, so I’d avoided PROVOCATIVE INTERLUDE until it had been discontinued, only to then pick up a bottle from EvilBay and discover that I absolutely love it…


PROVOCCATIVE INTERLUDE is always mentioned as a grown up version of Britney’s Fantasy or Thierry Mugler’s Angel, so it surprised me with its lightness. I was expecting something stronger & sweeter.
PROVOCATIVE INTERLUDE is a mild mix of creamy vanilla, berries and rose on me. I do get the Fantasy references, but the sweet notes lend comforting warmth, minus the sugar rush I was expecting; PROVOCATIVE INTERLUDE knows where to draw the line between pleasantly ‘come closer’ sweet and ‘child’s first perfume’ syrupy sensory overload.

I first tested this on one of the hottest days of the year, yet it wasn’t sickly or cloying; PROVOCOTIVE INTERLUDE is a fantastic all year round scent with good staying power, at a reasonable price & a gorgeous bottle. I’m going to be haunting EvilBay…


Scent notes: Champagne, white berries, guava leaf, sunset orchid, rose petals, mango flower, white chocolate, Cashmere musk and redwood.

I agree with the gourmand part, it kind of dries down and after 1 hour smells vaguely similar to Pink Sugar.

Not my thing, I like gourmand but I am getting bored with it. It's so worth a try if you are into sweet fragrances.

...the juice — created by Carlos Benaim and Loc Dong — is described as a modern oriental with gourmand accents.

The top notes are a blend of Champagne and white berries, highlighted with guava leaf. These lead to a heart of sunset orchid, rose petals and mango flower. The base features a white chocolate accord, teamed with cashmere musk and redwood.

I absolutely love this fragrance! One whiff and I was hooked! I'm a big lover of the gourmand/oriental family and this takes the cake! I have the lotion as well, and I love to put it on before I go to bed, the scent is heavenly! I haven't smelled the original Provocative, so I don't know if this is exactly a spin off of it. I do like the architectural bottle though, with the soft purple lacy overlay...very romantic. My husband liked it too, he likes it when I smell like something he could eat! :)