Ipanéma (2006)
by Satellite

I just barely ordered a sample of this and for some reason reckoned I probably wouldn't like it but it is lovely! Maybe it was the bright turquoise colour but I was expecting something that was possibly too sharp/loud/citrus-y and it's turned out to be a beautifully balanced soft tropical. Some might not even call it a tropical depending on how prominent the coconut is on them. I'd maybe classify it as a marine tropical? This is a nicer, more complex frag than Creed VIW (which I like and appreciate for what it is) imo. No one note stands out and the coconut is perfectly done - not too fruity or sweet. Drydown is white floral with quiet vanilla and some very subtle 'oceanic' notes. Ipanema is a soft, whispery, dream-of-the-tropics frag and I love it. It wears close to the skin and the lasting power is not great.

8th January, 2009.

Ipanema is an extremely fruity-sweet perfume with a top note of bubblegum. The intense sweetness lasts about 15 minutes and then veers into the land of coconut and musk. The juice itself is an unfortunate shade of turquoise which ramps the "cheap and tacky" factor up a notch. Personally, I think someone at Satellite had one too many caipirinha’s when concocting Ipanema however, if you love Apothia's "IF", you will likely find Ipanema appealing.

Here are Ipanema's notes per Fishbone’s website: ylang-ylang, orange, grapefruit, freesia, sandalwood, coconut, tonka bean, white flowers, vanilla, sea accord, and patchouli.

2nd May, 2008. (Last Edited: 4th May, 2008.)

So this is what Rio smells like? Ipanéma by Satellite is not the tropical fruit cocktail that I was expecting. It does have a tropical ambiance, but the coconut is a non-sweet, creamy suntan lotion type, and the opening citrus is very subtle to my nose. (I had to test it three times before I even became sure that those really were citrus notes.) Backing up the milky coconut and the sort-of citrus is a light salty / beachy tang that seems to appear and disappear intermittently. But basically what I get out of Ipanéma is that creamy suntan lotion texture primarily made up of white florals (I think?), and not even very tropical white florals at that. The accord is balanced, textured, and non-heady and I find it quite linear. I think the accord is very well done, and I do enjoy this scent very much, but I wonder why I would wear this when I could get about the same effect with a nice tanning lotion on my sweaty sun baked skin.

9th March, 2008.

This is a beautiful, unique, oceany fragrance. The notes aren't uncommon, but this fragrance is one of the most outstanding marine-type perfumes I've ever smelled. It's perfect for inspiring an excited, adventurous mood. It doesn't smell like a sweet cocktail, and it doesn't smell like ocean water... somehow it manages to smell like both, yet it's alluring and womanly. Overall, a wonderful fragrance for celebrating life!

11th May, 2007.