Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia Eau de Parfum Intense

Most Helpful Positive Review

Grew on me, the dry down is lovely and unique, yet

On my first impression of this perfume, aside from the gorgeous packaging, I was ready to go on a tirade about how I'm sick of having to be the one out here keeping Influenster honest. The reviews here so far are almost entirely raves, which I tend see for every campaign and I'm usually the voice of... dissent, as I feel the majority of the beauty and skincare products are overpriced and overrated. Not to say that my first sniff was bad, but it didn't seem like a scent for me-too much white florals with a sharp freshness that I just didn't vibe with. However, it's definitely growing on me for a couple of reasons. As I mentioned, it's a fruity floral with a fresh, almost aquatic note. The floral notes are fairly intense and there's a slightly spicy sweetness reminiscent of the original. This is possibly the most accurately labeled "intense" flanker I've ever encountered. Sometimes so called intense flankers veer so far from the original that they should have a different name, but this is the OG Gorgeous Gardenia intensified for sure. She is STRONG, too! I like the original, but I don't tend to get along with florals, especially the white variety, unless they have a unique twist and/or have a gourmand leaning. The intense seems to be fitting that bill, especially in the dry down, hours after the first spray. The fruit not is listed as mandarin, but I barely get a hint of that and instead I'm getting almost a blackberry note, which is lovely. I don't really pick up on the sandalwood, but I'm sure that's what's lending to the dark spiciness that I'm picking up. It's nostalgic of the 90's-00's style floral fragrances that were popular when I was in my late teens/early twenties. Don't get me wrong- I hated most of those, but this is those, but modernized in a way that I think might be working for me. The dry down is less floral and more dark, spicy and yet somehow fresh and I can still pick up on it quite easily at the end of the day. I was initially sure I was going to gift this to a friend, but I'm going to keep trying this for a bit, as I don't really have anything like this in my collection. I'm surprised to say, this may be a keeper!