Eau Divine - slow fall into love

Had a few samples of the new unisex Divine scent, Eau Divine. The first couple of times I sniffed it, I dibbed a dab onto my arm and registered "green, fresh, nice" but not much more than that. The next time I was dabbing, something joggled my elbow and suddenly my palm was filled with the entire contents of the vial. I was forced (forced, I tell you) to apply onto chest, inside of arms, etc. and make it my scent of the day - fortunately, I was not wearing anything else at the time. Rubbed my scent-laden hands over the small of my back for good measure.

The green mandarin is present, front and center, from the top notes onward and doesn't really ever leave. There is a woody presence which I can't identify, but maybe it's a combo of the nutmeg and something else. The star anise is not strong, just a breath of something that could be mistaken for cinnamon.

This is a peek a boo scent on me in the heart notes - it goes very subtle, gets very hushed. Then the drydown comes, and it floored me. The spice notes re-emerge with a very smooth musk and labdanum mixed in. There's no foodiness in this scent - it's not a curry-dinner type of spicyness. The citrus is still there, but it's stepped back to join the chorus. Sillage was moderate, and development took about five hours. Traces were left the next morning, though. I thought I'd be immune to Eau Divine because it's a fresher scent and here we are at winter's doorstep, but I can't get it off my mind. The fact that it is an eau de parfum (although not at the stronger end of the edp spectrum) would make me reach for it even in colder temps.

Eau Divine reminds me of Lubin's Eau Neuve. Not as a note for note twin, but it's just so darn good and well constructed and fits so many of my needs. If I could change my stripes and become a person that wore one fragrance day after day, either of the two would be contenders. Not a head-spinning drama queen but a congenial companion with hidden depths, cohabitation would come easily with Eau Divine. Alternatively, I wouldn't mind smelling this on a man that I came into contact with every day or almost. Very close contact. Nose to neck contact.

Mike,

Eau Divine is like an eau de cologne done at eau de parfum strength, but with somewhat more than the usual edc ingredients - the spices and the cistus (labdanum), in particular.

As for the musk, I would not say it is strong at all - on me anyway. When a scent is constructed so that the musk appears in the base notes (not a through and through musk-centric scent, in other words), it seems to me that there is a great deal of variance in how strongly perceived the musk note can be. But Eau Divine does not dry down to a "skin scent" either - it's more complex and more obviously fragrant. The luckyscent description puts forth "hot musk" - personally, I'd describe it as a warm, glowing musk.

I guess it depends on what winter's like for you. For instance, I can see this being just perfect on a bright January day, right after a major rainstorm has passed through. Or sitting in a restaurant waiting for your friends as hail pings against the dark windows. Etc., etc., on a very individual basis.

Do note that it's an eau de parfum, albeit not the most full bodied ever. Eau Divine has development and lasting power way beyond an edc, and its note profile certainly goes way beyond the light and fresh face that it first presents.