Istanbul

Grape, marshmallowy vanilla goodness. Those small hints of lemon tea and neroli provide the juice this bright quality that actually allows all the notes to shine individually, which I really appreciate. Unique’e also managed to sneak some semi-skunky geranium in that balances the heart from being too much of a spice bomb. IMO, the neroli is the true star here. It’s so creamy and thick, adding this beautiful floral orange creamsicle aspect that I really love. Reminds me a lot of fleur d'oranger. This actually sorta makes me upset given how well done it is; I strongly believe more grape should’ve been added throughout all 3 stages. Spectacular juice nonetheless . . . perfect spring/summer semi-urban lifestyle scent.

This is probably one of the most beautiful perfumes that I have in my collection. The opening is sweet and lingers throughout the whole duration.. the jasmine is the perfect blend with the toffee and vanilla. Artistry in this Perfume is perfect. It is not meant for a child or a teenager very classy and to be honest it’s worth every penny. I’m going to buy a couple more before the laws change and the scent changes. Because this is perfect. I can’t see this being a fragrance that a man would want to wear, but I don’t judge you wear whatever floats your boat. This does smell related to LDBS in the beginning and from a distance the two are not comparable . This is much more classy.

I didn't read too many reviews of this one and wasn't prepared for how much this resembles LDBS. I had LDBS and enjoyed it but I no longer really gravitate towards this scent profile. That being said, Istanbul is lovely and has impressive performance, both in regards to longevity, projection, and sillage. I may like it more than LDBS, it is not as bubblegummy. And I definitely like it more than Sintra, since the neroli in that one just does not smell good on me. I haven't smelled Oriana so I can't compare it to Istanbul but if you enjoy a scent profile akin to LDBS or Sintra, I recommend checking out Istanbul.

The toffee note in the base is overwhelming right from the opening. Has a mild charred/burnt smell to it, almost but not quite smoky, like it got left on the stovetop too long. Underneath that is warm, almost stewing, grape and fruit blend which slowly becomes the dominant accord as the toffee starts to settle ~30min in. A simmering soup of syrupy fruits and slightly burnt caramel, with the vanilla and woods holding base in the drydown. Moderate projection for 2-3hr, longevity 10-12hr through which I do catch faint whiffs for most of that.

I can not get enough of this thick sweet floral, great for Spring! yes, it is very similar to LDBS but something is slightly more addicting. A floral gourmand -the toffee, vanilla and whatever else is making this super sweet are thick like honey, the white floral stops it from giving you diabetes. Tea/Neroli add citrus and make it more weight watcher friendly. This will last for a long time and when you do smell it hours later, you are like good gosh, this is delightful (vs considering washing off a fragrance because you are over it).