Eau de Parfum, $75–$160 is available at Yurman stores and Neiman Marcus.
Sensuous by Estee Lauder
Sensuous was released with great fanfare this summer by Estee Lauder and I just wish I’d paying more attention so that I could have discovered this little gem of a fragrance earlier.
Sensuous has top notes of ghost lily, magnolia, jasmine petals; middle notes of molten woods, amber, sandalwood; and base notes of black pepper, mandarin pulp, and honey.
The first spray of Sensuous is pungent and honey-sweet, a nice departure from the fruity florals that are so popular at present. Sensuous is all smooth, creamy sweetness with a nice peppery tang. I expected a dark, masculine wood in the dry down, but instead I found a lighter, smoothly-polished wood—a little bit floral, a little bit spicy, altogether smooth and elegant. This is an easy perfume to wear and I mean that as a compliment to the fragrance. You won’t spray it on and think—“Oh, wrong perfume for today, what was I thinking?” I can’t tell you how often I’m complimented on this fragrance by people used to me constantly wafting around in every type of perfume you can imagine, not all of which elicit nice comments. They love Sensuous, and in short, so do I. It smells great, it’s long lasting without being overpowering, and—joy of joys—it’s affordable!
The bottle is a little throwback and reminds me of a perfume bottle from the 1930s. It’s round and pink with flowing grooves on the back of the bottle and has a pink gold-colored hexagonal cap. As I love the 1930s, this isn’t a negative for me, but the bottle may feel old-fashioned to some.
Body lotion, shower cream, and Eau de Parfum, $28.50–$69.50, with additional products available for the holidays. Sensuous is widely available at most department stores, including Macy’s.
Parting Note: Perfume puts the finishing touch to elegance—a detail that subtly underscores the look, an invisible extra that completes a woman’s personality. Without it, there is something missing.—Gianni Versace
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