L'Imperatrice by Dolce & Gabbana Eau De Toilette For Women, 100ml (Packaging May Vary)

Product Information

After twenty minutes or so, all I can smell on my wrist is a memory of rhubarb and custard hard boiled sweeties. I initially thought I was able to score a Limited Edition bottle and was looking forward to the Watermelon and Strawberry notes but I am convinced that what I have with me is the regular one because of how tart it smells.

It adds a touch of subtle freshness to my daily routine, making me feel comfortable and confident in my skin. The base notes form the foundation of the fragrance, rounds off the smell experience and gives the fragrance a certain degree of depth. I must admit, though, that its longevity on my skin is not the strongest, and the projection is moderate.

It really depends on what scent you like or don’t like but I always get loads of compliments when I wear this perfume. This scent reminds me of my senior year in high school, I finally felt like a woman, but I was so full of youth. If you are looking for a fragrance that is the epitome of delicious with a woodsy base that doesn't overpower the overall fruity-floral composition, you will LOVE L'imperatrice. On me it's a fresh, juicy watermelon scent laced with tart berries and soft flowers (I get mostly peonies) that is yummy and addictive, and thankfully I didn't get the dreaded BO smell that so many are describing. The Chypre fragrance family is characterised by a fine fragrance that particularly confident women appreciate.

I get a naked Aphrodite in a painting in a luxurious museum, dark polished wooden floors, candlelight. It smells great when I spray it but after one hour I can't smell it all on me anymore :( I will try it again next summer. It's a drawback and a perk at the time time, in hot climates it doesn't become offensive ever, but its unwearable in any other climate. It's just so wrong and off-putting, like a cheap toilet cleaner or car freshener trying to smell like watermelon but failing miserably.The pepper note fades away softly and calms down to an unique scent of warmth, sour kiwi, sweet melon, and fresh lemon tree. The major con is that it can come off smelling like armpit sweat on hot days, or like sour watermelon on the verge of rotting…it’s the combination of the tangy notes (kiwi and rhubarb) and musk causing that BO effect in the heat. The purity and simplicity of the transparent bottle allows the delicate blush hue of the fragrance to take centre stage, evoking the powerful femininity of L’Imperatrice.

If you would like to gift your high school or college grad with a more grown up scent, instead of a VS body spray, get her this.It does remind me of deodorant, and I find a similarity with Moschino's Pink bouquet, for some reason, but it didn't smell like fruit gone bad. Though I like this and it’s simple, it does seem to be missing something… I’m wanting to layer it…I think a bright floral would make it too sharp, it’s just sharp enough on its own and I don’t want to make it sweeter either…maybe a light sunblock scent will smooth it out just a little bit which is could benefit from. Maybe do some extra sprays that’ll be worth it aswell but that might make it a lil over cloying tbh.

However, I shouldn't have bought a full bottle because when I read why this perfume is kind of polarizing someone said that this perfume "smells like a armpit from the gym" I can totally see where they are coming from. The prevailing snobbery prefers the complex ouds from Oman or vintage Guerlains or maybe even a Norwegian forest comprised of nothing but synthetic scent molecules. It doesn’t last a long time which I actually like because honestly, I don’t want to smell like this for a long time.

The beauty of this is definitely in the dry down and how it smells better on clothes than on your skin here you can smell a sweet musk. This only lasts an hour or two on my skin, so I have been trying to find something that is in this same fragrance genre that will last longer. Watermelon brings a little sweetness, but not much - just enough for this to be a feminine fragrance.