A Scent (2009)
by Issey Miyake

A fresh light green floral which comes across more like a watered down version of Tommy Girl. Very pleasant if not a little synthetic.

I really like this. It is cleaner than clean, with a lean towards green florals; a bit sweet too. Very soapy, but not in the harsh annoying way. As usual with Miyake frags, a little goes a long way here, one or two sprays is plenty. But for what occasion would any one wear this? Not sure, because the only color association I get with this is white, lots of white clothing and fixtures. It's too serious for a wedding, ridiculous for office wear, maybe on a bright spring Saturday lounging around a just cleaned and sparkly loft filled with white stuff.

A Scent lasted longer for me than it did for prior reviewers, but I otherwise concur with their assessments: citrus, green, synthetic. Can throw one compliment: The musk base worked well on my skin.

Issey Miyake A Scent

A Scent starts very green and a bit watery. Galbanum and citrus notes are the main players at first, and there is a slight "acetone" quality as mentioned by others. Remarkably, it is really only a touch of acetone, and to my nose does not overpower the other notes. However, sensitive individuals should beware and test on paper before applying to skin. A Scent was relatively well behaved on me--it is a very decent, although thoroughly synthetic-smelling fragrance in which the galbanum is the only shining star. The rest of the notes are rather nondescript, and include blended springtime white florals and soapy white musk. A Scent reminds me very much of Estee Lauder's products--that is to say, yet another variation on a "laundry soap" floral that Estee Lauder revolutionized many years ago. For green floral scents, I'd rather spend my money on Diorella, Chanel Cristalle or Estee Lauder's Private Collection Jasmine White Moss. A Scent is simply not anywhere near the quality of these other fragrances, and it is not nearly as enjoyable.

Longevity was moderate, the galbanum goodness faded within a couple hours leaving bland florals and musk skin scent for the rest of the day. Sillage was moderate to low. At first AS seems like it could be a unisex fragrance, but the midnotes are decidedly floral, giving the fragrance a tendency toward the feminine. It is worth a try for anybody who likes light, fresh, green and clean fragrances. And to be honest, despite the uninspired composition, AS is better than most others in the "fresh and clean" category.

A soapy, green, clean scent, which is interesting only because it did not severely disappoint me (having had such low expectations on account of Miyake's L'Eau and its assorted flankers)

Issey Miyake
A Scent
(2009)
Daphne Bugey
Top Notes: Lemon, Verbena
Middle Notes: Jasmine, Hyacinth
Base Notes: Cedar, Galbanum

This is very reminiscent of green florals going on. One thinks of Chanel No. 19, or even Vent Vert. Then the accord takes on a persistent and unpleasant note of acetone. (That's right, nail polish remover.) I suspect something I've smelled this before in other scents that listed a synthetic musk note, but I don't know which one. It doesn't go away for quite a while, maybe 45 minutes, but even then, traces linger. If it weren't for this, I could give this an excellent rating, but I can't really say I admire anything so synthetic and chemical-smelling. On the basis of the objectionable note's eventual attenuation, I'll stretch a point and give it a neutral score.