During the craziness of Fashion Week, I attended a breakfast launch of the new fragrance “Pretty” by Elizabeth Arden. It turned out to be a very pretty morning indeed.
The Givaudan team responsible for creating the charming fragrance were justifiably proud of the amount of work involved in bringing new fragrant molecules to the market. Internationally renowned perfumer Claude Dir was at the breakfast to tell us how and why he considers Pretty a “perfect fragrance.”
(Claude Dir and me)
Dir was brought in by the Arden team to create this perfume, and he says, “I saw the world through very feminine ‘pink colored glasses’” for this project. He was especially excited about the new Givaudan molecule called “Petalia” that was the starting point for the journey. “It truly is the perfect feminine floral essence. It was never used before in fragrance development so I was intrigued and driven to create something spectacular for Arden.”
Why is Petalia so different? It’s easy to wear and imparts a unique singular impression.
The other fragrant, floral notes are:
Top Notes
Italian Mandarin Orpur: Apparently this has a luscious quality that is both sweet and sharp. Delish!
Orange Blossom: I dig anything that has orange notes. Citrus rules. Period.
Peach Nectar: Sweetness and succulence rules in this fruit, n’est ce pas?
Middle Notes
Petalia: the Arden team considers this the very essence of femininity. We can find no fault.
Star Jasmine: I grew up in India with jasmine bushes surrounding my house. LOVE.
Pink Iris & White Peony: I must say that any floral scent without the peony would leave much to desire.
Drydown
Fluffy Musk: Yes, apparently musk can be fluffy (think of smoky musk). Another scent that I love.
Jacaranda Wood & Creamy Amber: The warm amber notes inspire comfort, happiness…think of pretty mom baking pie in the kitchen.
I am also enchanted with the packaging, and the floral petals engraved on the bottle top. The beautiful rounded shape of this fragrance looks like a bud vase.
And here’s a tip: to make the fragrance last longer, apply the body lotion first, and then spritz the scent.
Eau de Parfum Spray: 1.7 fl oz ($49); 3.3 fl oz ($62)
Body Lotion: 6.8 fl oz ($30)
Body Powder with Puff: 3.4 oz ($37.50)
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