Bali Dream by Estée Lauder, 2008

I bought this one completely, utterly, totally blind. I did not have a smart phone on which to confer with Basenotes when I bought this. My criteria for bringing this home were (a.) it had a tropical name, thus, it must be a tropical scent and (b.) it was an Estee Lauder fragrance. Ill buy a fragrance blindly so long as it alludes to being tropical. It isnt really a very good litmus test but alas, I still employ it. Bali Dream is a satisfying tropical fragrance but its tropical nature isnt immediately apparent upon first spray. It starts out syrupy sweet and gingery. Nice but not exactly the kind of tropical I had in mind. That was my second mistake (the first being blind-buying scents based on the word tropical)there are more tropical environments besides the obvious coconuts-and-fruit-salad ones I had envisioned. A Bali trip was referenced in a review of this on on another site and she mentioned the scents of the land itself, not the beaches. Once I read that I realized this was a uniquely exotic trip to Bali, not a seaside seat on a generic tropical beach. Suddenly I had a new appreciation for this scent. The syrupy sweet ginger quickly gives way to a fizzy-with-a-kick ginger ale that is refreshing and cool. About a half hour later the scent of orchid unfolds and stays consistently lovely for the entire ride. Anyone smitten with BBWs Enchanted Orchid will fall in love with this fragrance. The sillage tastefully trails with medium strength and the fragrance last for quite a long time, staying even post-shower. I love most Estee Lauder creations, this one being no exception, but this one is different from the average EL creation. This one seems to be more carefree and untraditional, like Beyond Paradises eccentric little sister. It is completely enjoyable!

I really love Bali and when Estee Lauder put Bali's name as the title of their new perfume, what a dream come true! I though I have to do all the trouble getting it in the nearest airport (Changi perhaps). But lucky me, someone able to get it for me.

Bali Dream is opened with the mix of Orchid and Ginger (Which remind me of CK Euphoria Blossom.. love it). The mix is right and it will be easily loved. I can imagine a lot of people would give it as a gift (from Bali?). It doesn't smell like Bali too me but it's a crowd pleaser. Going to the heart I smell.... coconut. Wait. There's no coconut in the middle note? It said Pepper, Ylang Ylang, Cassia, Jasmine, Gardenia, Tagete, Plum, Tuberose. But how come I only smell Coconut plus something. As it going to the basenote, the coconut stay strong while the others already said goodbye...

I agree with the previous reviewer that this perfume is too tropical to be categorized as floriental. It's nice. It's pleasureable... but it just don't smell Bali to me. Estee Lauder could just write Coconut Island or Coco Dream or something instead of Bali Dream.

But I still give applause to Estee Lauder. I appreciate them in the same way the appreciate Bali. May more people come to Bali. ^-^ Now I'm waiting for 7:15 am in Bali from Kenzo.