Burberry London for Women

On my recent trip to the Philippines, I bought myself a little present from the DutyFree shops after being ignominiously patted down by airport security and having my toothpaste taken away from me. Anytime you go traveling internationally, buy yourself a little gift from DutyFree. I know, your friends are making requests for this 30 year old Scotch or that Gucci Bag, (I usually pester my jet-setting friends for a ten-carton-box of ciggies), but I kept it lowkey this time and just for me.

I love perfume. When I saw the little Burberry-checked covered atomizer in the shiny glass duty-free display, under Rachel Weitz's wonderful poster-ads, I thought about how much I love English style.

Unique and daring and carefree, clean and simple and chic and very cosmopolitan...Had to get the bottle and try it out.

I love it.

Here's the skinny:

Burberry for Women Fragrance Notes

Top Notes Lavender, Bergamot, Thyme, Mint,

Middle Notes Geranium, Sandalwood, Moss, Cedar,

Base Notes Amber, Tonka Bean,

Most reviewers of the fragrance gave it a thumbs-up too, but I read an interesting opinion from a blogger named Colombina, who was overwhelmed by the heavy tiara scent, which she felt buried the clementine-rose accord, peony, jasmine, as well as the sandalwood and patchouli on the drydown. She did acknowledge that body-chemistry may have affected the outcome of the fragrance. She did recommend other fragrances authored by this nose, Dominique Ropion, and rated Une Fleur de Cassie in lieu of this combination.

I agree, it's very-very strong. It's a great floral though, and although I'm not sure it screams "London" to me, I think it is sophisticated. I didn't get the sense that it was a linear frangrance, as the above reviewer did, I could smell pretty much all of the notes from base-to-top.

Many of the "niche-snobs" may by-pass this scent based on it's mass-marketing, but I enjoy my little Duty-Free gift to myself this month.