Marc JacobsPerfect Elixir Eau de Parfum Pen Spray

Most Helpful Positive Review

Pleasantly surprised on this one!

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me on behalf of Influenster for an honest review based on personal experience. As with most products, especially fragrances, results will vary by individual experience. Test subject - myself. Skin pH is pretty neutral with an equal balance of acidity and alka...linity. Most fragrances wear true-to-formulation. Perfect Marc Jacobs Elixir would definitely fall in the exotic Oriental category for me. The amber, resin and vanilla are quite recognizable as notes in this sample vial. On initial spray, this was straight sugared grapefruit on me, though not listed as a note. Almost too cloyingly sweet, and NOT from the vanilla since it has a way of performing as a sweetener in some fragrances. Honey was more prevalent toward the beginning middle notes on me. I didn't detect any plum, possibly getting hints of raw rhubarb, and maybe a whiff here and there of orange blossom at dry down. I have to say, this fragrance was a surprise since the initial sugar-sweetness almost turned me completely off as a person who doesn't care for sweet fragrances - but as the notes morphed, the layered complexities of all the notes I did get were intriguingly well-balanced. Coupled with the fact that this fragrance doesn't smell like the clone of most every other fragrance on every shelf from big-box to boutiques, it was a most pleasant surprise at that. Even more surprising was how long it lasted - a solid 2-4 hours of morphing then hugging the skin for the next 3-5 hours. That said, I reserved a star because more often than not, the sample can easily be more powerful and long-lasting than a full-size bottle so my initial reviews are always conservative when based off a sample.