I have a rule for myself: Never trust blue liquids. A blue perfume can’t be trusted. And don’t get me started on blue alcoholic beverages which are basically inspired by untrustworthy blue perfumes¹! Why do I not trust blue juices? Well, I lived through the 90’s and associate these with “sporty” or aquatics that smelled like they were household cleaner in fancier bottles.
I ignored my own advice and tried Curacao Bay from Fath’s Essentials before I tried any other from this new, revived line. I’m so rebellious.
Curacao Bay is like a mojito and coconut water. It’s a sweeter citrus with something that reminds me of waxy black licorice and lavender buds. It’s an airy, marine fragrance that’s warm. As corny as it sounds, it smells like a warm breeze. Curacao Bay turns into something that is like coconut rum or a creamy fig – sweet and milky with some subtle greens. On me, most of the wear is like a creamy amber that almost smells like rice pudding. This is a mix of lactonic notes like coconut with vanilla and custard-y tropical florals. The dry-down is still creamy but there’s an addition of a salty ambergris with a cocktail of musk/woods that really makes this fragrance last on the skin. This base seems more “classic marine”- warmth mixed with cool, ozone.
Other reviewer’s (see my roundup below) are picking up more complex nuances than I am. On my skin, it’s a sweet, warm and creamy fragrance. It’s almost like a tropical/beach Gaultier Le Male on my skin. To my surprise, this blue perfume is enjoyable to wear and it doesn’t smell like glass cleaner. Actually, it’s a great updated “beach” fragrance or even the sort of “sporty” scent that is often marketed as masculine.
Notes listed include lemon, tangerine, petitgrain, orange, green notes, sea notes, frangipani, black currant, white musk, ambergris and woody notes. Launched in 2015. PERFUMER – Cecile Zorokian
Give Curacoa Bay a try if you like creamy, tropical scents. Or perfumes like CREED Virgin Island Water, Bath & Body Works Coconut Lime Verbena, Calvin Klein CK1 Summer, Tommy Bahama Set Sail St. Barts for Men, Ellie Saab Le Parfum Resort Collection, Lili Bermuda South Water and/or Bath & Body Works Waikiki Beach. For real, if you like CREED Virgin Island Water, you should try this.
Projection is average. Longevity is above average.
The 6.65 oz bottle retails for $215 at Barneys. There’s a smaller bottle but I can’t find anyone selling it in the US. Also, available at First in Fragrance (€).
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Creamy, woodsy marine fragrance. It’s blue so I don’t know if I can trust it but it’s pleasant enough. It’s a nice marine/beach fragrance.
¹Seriously, Hypnotiq was inspired by blue perfumes.
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