Posted by Robin
on
10 January 2007
Aquolina launched Pink Sugar in 2003. It made the list of the top 10 perfumes at Sephora almost immediately, and is still firmly entrenched in the top 5. Pink Sugar, in case you couldn’t guess by the name, is geared towards a relatively young market, and promises to “take you on a journey through the pleasures and flavors of childhood with a playful blend of vanilla and caramel”. Other notes include bergamot, Sicilian orange, raspberry, fig leaves, lily of the valley, licorice, strawberry, red fruit, barbe-a-papa (cotton candy), musk, sandalwood, tonka bean and powdery notes.
Anyone who reads here regularly knows I am not usually a big fan of sweet fragrances, and the first time I tried Pink Sugar on a test strip in Sephora some years ago, I was rather horrified. My notes read “burnt cotton candy with strawberries”, and that is about how I remember it. But I rather liked last year’s follow-up scent Chocolovers and was curious to try the new Blue Sugar for men, so revisiting Pink Sugar seemed in order…
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Posted by Robin
on
5 December 2005
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz introduced Piment et Chocolat in 2003. The fragrance features notes of black pepper, paprika, pimento, red chili, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, cocoa beans and chocolate. It starts with sweet chocolate and very strong, almost sneeze-worthy pepper notes. As it dries down, the sweetness largely disappears, and the initial kick from the pepper is tempered by the other spices; just enough red chili remains to add some heat. The end result is a warm, almost dusty combination of spices and dry cocoa.
It strikes a nice balance — it is foody, but not candied, and softer than the notes might indicate. It is a cozy kind of fragrance, perfect for a cold winter night spent by the fire. But it is in the Parfums des Beaux Arts line, and it isn’t cheap: 1/3 oz of Eau de Parfum is $60, 1 oz is $135. I like it, but after three tries, I don’t adore it enough to pay the price…
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