Violet Blonde by Tom Ford, 2011

Reading the notes, I would not have purchased this, as any scent that mentions pink pepper isn't of interest to me. However, I received it as a gift from someone who knows that I love collecting perfumes. While I'm not a big fan of Tom Ford's scents, as I think part of his ouevre is way overrated and overpriced and ALL of the ones that that I've smelled come off a little too obviously synthetic, I have to say that I do like some things about Violet Blond. It's sweet, but not cloyingly sweet and the violet notes are just enough so as not to turn me off. It's not great or terribly innovative, but it holds my interest enough that I do reach for it from time to time and I'm usually glad I did. For me it evokes the idea of donning a brand new pair of buttery soft, purple suede pumps with a pair of my favorite jeans and that fantasy is good enough for me. PS...at one phase VB hints at Guerlain's Apres l'Ondee.

I catch a dominant penetrating  pink pepper at the beginning on the side of a fruity-floral undistinguished whiff that is clean and a bit soapy-laundry. The dry down is powdery musk, white woods and "liquid" vetiver with a soft violet leaves undertone. The juice is light and clean, a decent spring time-day time juice with a certain appeal but with faint level of class and distinction.

Another one of those dense, hard-to-describe Tom Ford scents. It kind of reminds me of that "lipstick rose" smell, that mix of sweet candied roses and iris that smells like old lipstick, but what you'd get if you replaced the candied rose with candied violets. It's also got that Serge Lutens cherry/plum note on top sweetening everything, while a nice suede note and very hay-smelling coumarin lend a tobacco-meets-old-purse depth. That's an awful lot of potentially conflicting notes, but Violet Blonde manages to make them all work together. And don't forget to sniff yourself late in the day, when the whole thing dries down to a fun smell that reminds me of cherry cough syrup spilled over a field of freshly-grown hay.

I like that musky suede. The scents top notes are violet leaves and citrus; fresh and nice. then smooth and woody for sometime and after an hour comes the best part. I really like musky woodsy suede. I wish it was a bit stronger. It is somewhere between Dior homme and Daim blonde for me (which i admire deeply.) And maybe which admire my skin aswell. ı am planning to buy one in valentines day sales.

I was extremely excited to receive the sample of this acclaimed fragrance, however, when I sprayed it, my husband recoiled in disgust at the smell. I put it to the backburner in embarrassment. Trying it again today, and smelling my arm as I type, I am not impressed. The initial spritz leaves a strong, almost overpowering aroma that is invasive and rude. The drydown is a bit better and has a powdery musk effect to it, but nothing to write home about.

The pink pepper is overpowering. The vetiver is pretty. I don't smell the suede or citrus notes. I'm not in love with it, nor do I feel the urge to scrub my hand red raw to get rid of the scent. It's a soapy, springtime inoffensive fragrance suitable for wear at the office. I hate that I have to keep applying it. It doesn't last on the skin.