After reading enough folks describe Bvlgari Aqva as standing apart from other aquatics by using a natural-smelling accord to evoke the sea, rather than a big slug of Calone, I enthusiastically sprayed myself this morning from a sample I'd almost forgotten. First few minutes, not bad. Then, not long after that, there it was: huge, synthetic, cartoon-watery Calone (or, given that I'm no expert on aromachemicals, whatever is the same nauseating aquatic note used in Bond No. 9 Wall Street, at the base of Aqua Fahrenheit, and likely countless others). Maybe a bunch of folks are just much less sensitive to this chemical since it's so ubiquitous, allowing other notes in Aqva to stand out, but for me, it was a big let-down. I'd hoped to find a refreshingly sophisticated take on an "aquatic" fragrance here, but no. In fact, three hours in, I was in the bathroom scrubbing it off with detergent. It takes a lot for me to do that.
Looks like next I'll have to give Heeley's Sel Marin a proper try.
Looks like next I'll have to give Heeley's Sel Marin a proper try.
