The Beach Eaus – A month of beach and ocean inspired perfumes.
I can’t believe this month is almost over…and that summer 2019 is coming to an end. I’m trying to squeeze in the last few “beach” scents while it’s still officially summer. I’ve saved my favorite and my least favorite from Nateeva as my last in this series:
Dominican Republic opens as a citrus-hued rose. It’s predominately a grapefruit-rose with a glistening bergamot. There’s also a generic herbal greenness that I really can’t put my finger on but it’s familiar. As it wears, it’s a dewy, watery floral. It’s like those things that were marketed as “zen” and “Eastern” in the 90’s (remember when everything had water lotus or bamboo?) but in reality it all just sort of smelled like hairspray. It dries down to a generic musk and woods that is meant to smell like ozonic driftwood or something like that.
Wearing Dominican Republic was a trip in a time machine to a place that I really didn’t want to go. It didn’t take me to the D.R. but instead an awkward era of the mid-to-late-90’s. This is the sort of watery citrus floral that was so popular then. Every designer and mall store had a version of something like this. It’s sort of amazing how this style of perfumery is still something people want. I guess I need to come to terms that stuff like this is now “classic”.
Notes listed include Bayahibe rose, orange blossom, grapefruit, red berries, sandalwood, cedar and musk. PERFUMER – Laurent Le Guernec
Give Dominican Republic a try if you like dewy, aquatic florals. Or perfumes like Byblos Essence, Banana Republic Classic, Bobbi Brown Almost Bare, Clinique Happy and/or By Kilian Water Calligraphy.
The 3.4 oz bottle retails for $125 at Nateeva.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Dewy citrus floral. This is my least favorite of the Nateeva line. And honestly, this is my least favorite genre of perfumes. I didn’t like them then and I still don’t like them today. Anyway, I’ll share my favorite from the Nateeva line soon.
*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Product pic from the brand. Kate Moss pic from fanpix.net.
I had to look up Bayahibe rose as, well I know roses and was like what?? So it’s a cactus but is it fragrant? Has anyone smelled it? I’m curious about that but not the perfume…..
And nothing at all to do with beach scents, but have you smelled 1957? I hope to give it a try soon!
I have no clue if it is has a fragrance or not. If I am ever around one, I’ll smell it! 😉
I have noticed a trend in the past decade and more lately of “cactus blossom” in perfumes, home fragrances, etc. It just smells like apple. I’m not saying “cactus blossom” does, but that perfumery really, really wants to sell me some apple stuff in a whole new way, lol.
I have! I really like it. It’s on my to-buy list!
Hmmm funny about cactus blossom. Maybe the illusion of beauty in a barren land???
And man, here I was hoping not to be tempted!! Can’t wait to try it!
Maybe so…it does seem sort of romantic, no?