Cleopatra (2007)
by Tocca

My first encounter with Tocca CLEOPATRA (from a cute 7ml mini of which 5ml remain...) was fairly positive, and I ended up acquiring another small (15ml) bottle as a result. The bottles are so adorable that I don't really mind that they'll probably never run dry. What has happened since my initial testing is that I have come to regard this fragrance as a close olfactory neighbor to NARCISO RODRIGUEZ for her and Sarah Jessica Parker LOVELY, in addition to D&G Anthology LA ROUE DE LA FORTUNE.

The key connection to my nose: slightly sweaty musk combined with a fairly hefty dose of patchouli. The musk in this composition lies just over the clean/sweaty line. I love clean musk compositions, in general, but this one is situated about a nanometer over the too sweaty line for me. Although it's not impossible for me to wear this perfume, and in certain moods, particularly on very humid days, I even sort of like it, after several wearings it has become abundantly clear that these small bottles will in all likelihood suffice for this lifetime.

I'm fairly sure that anyone who likes NR for her and LOVELY would like this perfume as well. CLEOPATRA is much more about musk and patchouli than anything else, so anyone who loves those two notes may well welcome this creation with flaring nostrils. On the other hand, anyone who eschews those notes will not be happy with this perfume. On my skin, this edp projects quite a lot and has excellent longevity. I guess that this means that I number among those lucky sniffers who are not anosmic to musk--at least not the one(s) featured here!

20th September, 2011.

Unfortunately, Cleopatra is one of those scents that smells great on a smelling strip or when you sniff the atomizer nozzle, but dies a quick death on skin. On paper, it smells like a dreamy, silky rose and patchouli scent, an accord I love. However, on skin, it smells dull and uninspired. The silkiness is gone, and the notes smell almost like they're repelling one another. The various notes smell like they are poorly blended, and Cleaopatra ends up smelling like another boring heady floral thrown together with some patchouli by some amateur hack. It reminds me of a lot of the fragrances made by Fresh.

Not a terrible scent by any means, but not an inspired one either.

MY RATING: 5/10

25th May, 2011.

I wish I could write more positively about 'Cleopatra'. There's nothing wrong with its scent - it's certainly not harsh; in-your-face, or chokingly strong... but on the other hand, it's so very soft, so unassertive, it gets lost on the skin. I love Cleopatra's gentle rosy glow - for about six minutes. That's about how long the bouquet lasts. Very disappointing.

25th January, 2010.

Awwww....poor Cleopatra. This perfume has gotten a lot of negative flack on many sites for its simplicity. It does smell like a light dusting of jasmine to me, but I'm perfectly happy with it. When I'm not in the mood to wear something complex and heavy, I always reach for this fragrance. People who dislike perfume tend to be okay with it. Best of all, this fragrance doesn't smell as artificial to me as some, and it reminds me of my inlaws' (who are from India) jasmine plants. I used to pick the flowers off the plant and crush them between my fingers just to get my jasmine fix. Now I can just spritz a little of this delightful fragrance and breathe deeply. I guess it is different for different people, but I got very little musk and spice from this one (not that I would complain if I did!).

29th July, 2009.

Queen of the Nile? More like Junior High Homecoming Queen, though that's hardly fair to anyone in junior high. Cleopatra begins with a green-floral accord with too much Calone, then turns to jasmine with too much indole. The floral mothball fades away, leaving a faint, musky dry down. Avoid.

24th March, 2009.

With a name like Cleopatra, this fragrance has to be exotic! For me, this blend which starts off with juicy grapefruit then heads straight to the base - the tuberose and jasmine show up, but seem blended into the strong base. The musk, vanilla, patchouli combo here is sensual and reminds me of Narcsiso Rodriguez for Her, and a little bit of Lady Vengeance by Juliette Has a Gun. At the end of the day, Cleopatra is a pleasant scent, maybe not so exotic but most definitely womanly. It's mediocre on longevity...LV is much more tenacious...but I find myself occassionally craving this one!

22nd December, 2007. (Last Edited: 4th April, 2008.)