Whilst perusing the shelves in duty free at Heathrow Airport last week on my way out to New York, something caught my eye. Ever the sucker for fabulous packaging, my eye was drawn to the fabulously bling bottle of the new 212 fragrance by Carolina Herrera, aptly named ‘212 VIP’.
The original 212 always reminds me of my mum, who wore it for years and for that reason, once I’d realised what it was I didn’t think I’d be a huge fan myself. I was however, pleasantly surprised!
This fragrance is a perfect balance between the sweet, fun fragrances I usually gravitate towards and the more sophisticated ‘grown up’ fragrances i wish i would gravitate towards. The fragrance itself is inspired by modern, stylish and creative New York youth. The passionfruit and vanilla notes definitely keeping it fresh and young, while notes of rum and musk add a little something extra. The overall effect is a lovely, somewhat intriguing scent.
If I could compare this fragrance to anything I would say it has a similar feel to Paco Robanne Lady Million with a little bit of Agent Provocateur L’agent thrown in there for added maturity. The design of the bottle reminds me of Lady Million too. It’s heavy and feels very luxe with the magnetic lid closure. Definitely worth a sniff, this new release has firmly secured a place on my fragrance wishlist.
The one downside? The branding is a tad on the cheesy side… ‘Are You on The List?!’ Cringe.
Eau de Parfum 30ml, 50ml and 80ml are available now from £26.90