I’ve raved about Guerlain being a brand that I can trust almost blindly when it comes to scents that I enjoy and that fit me well, but so far I’ve neglected to mention another brand that fits that description as well: Shiseido. Their offering is quite small but what they do, they do well.
I’ll be reviewing Ever Bloom Eau de Parfum, my only distinctly Summer scent.
Ever Bloom sounds like it belongs to spring but I’m transported to crackling hot temperatures, long days and bright sunny skies. This fragrance is undoubtedly floral but there is a freshness to it that makes it comparable to a lot of marine and aquatic perfumes, even though it’s none of that. That’s probably what makes it smell like summer to me: the refreshing freshness.
Yet, unlike most fresh scents, this isn’t acidic. A strong citrus note is something my nose does not tolerate, and there is none of it here. It smells clean, not disinfected. There is a hint of soap in it, but I wouldn’t put it in the “smells like clean clothes” category where a lot of other floral yet powdery scents live.
Shiseido does not describe its notes in a top-middle-bottom fashion, but more in a outer-to-inner circle geometry. Whatever tickles their fancy, I guess. The outer circle (which I think would be the top notes equivalent) is made up of cyclamen and lotus flower. The inner circle contains orange blossom absolute, gardenia, sylkolide musk and hinoki wood. Quite a big bouquet of flowers that would probably have me running the other way if it wasn’t for that perfect musky note that balances everything out so beautifully. It turns what could have been a loud, nauseatingly floral scent into an elegant, more consensual, light fragrance. I even dare say it has a classic inspiration, a whiff of vintage, if you will – but it does not feel old or outdated by any means.
Sillage is medium to intimate – medium when freshly applied, intimate after it dries down. I don’t find this develops much as time goes on, the scent you get after all the alcohol has evaporated is the same a few hours later. Longevity is average, you won’t smell it on your hanged closet clothes after a few days, but you can still detect it on your skin after 10 hours.
A great warm weather fragrance. Being that it is so bright and airy, it’s quite youthful as well, and it would be a great gift for a teenager, regardless of season.
