Rhubarb and Sweetened Milk

Heyya all!

Continuing the gourmand theme I thought I might write more about it. So the other day I went through my shelf and found this bottle called Lovely Garden by Oriflame. It is half full now - I am an optimist - and I remember ordering it online from Oriflame a year ago, spring time in 2012. I think they were just introducing this scent and obviously I did not get a tester to smell or wear it on me. So this was a blind buy. I just saw the picture online in the catalogue and read through the notes and thought I might give it a try!

Now this perfume consists of rhubarb, pomegranate and green notes at the top, heliotrope, peony and milk in the heart and musk, sandalwood and vanilla orchid as the base notes. And it comes as an EDT in 50ml bottles. I need to say the design reminded me of Balenciaga bottles, and I am loving the fact that designers go back to vintage style and bring it up with new contents. 

When I was taking the bottle out of its packaging and spraying it on for the fist time I was not expecting it to be what it really is. I was pleasantly surprised how this smelled on the opening. I thought there was a hint of citrus but later realised it was the fresh pomegranate note. Gradually I got to distinguish the other notes once the fresh green notes and pomegranate splash exploded on my face. Green is what I would expect a garden to be - at least on a spring or summer time. So I think the "green" part in the name is well justified. As to "garden" part, hmmm, I have to say, this is a very sweet garden, with loads of sweet smelling flowers and believe it or not, these flowers are not roses, ehm.

I think I always imagine a light and warm summer breeze when going to a park and walking along the alley with blossoming trees and bushes of flowers. All of a sudden I kind of get that tangy rhubarb smell and it finally culminates in warm sweetened milk. I know the actual note is just milk in this perfume, however it's not the normal just-out-of-the-fridge milk scent. It is properly warmed up glass of milk with sugar and vanilla.

I just love wearing the Lovely Garden during colder days as well. I consider it a warm scent and thus if it is cold outside you can balance it with warmer (sweeter scents that make you feel warm and cosy) fragrance and fool my brain that I am not cold at all.

The Lovely Garden lingers on my skin for hours, even if some 5-6 hours later the top notes have evaporated there are the base notes to keep up with the sensations I got on the first spray. When I commented on Fragrantica website on the longevity of the scent and later on read some other peoples' comments that it was nothing I had been describing I got really confused. At first I thought that my skin chemistry was different but together with that I also think that most of the perfume formulas are at their best when they are just being launched. Although there are some perfume companies that get better and updated formulas during the time. However with Oriflame I always knew it was best to grab the product at its original launch if I wanted quality over the price. 

This scent is not linear and I like how it evolves leaving me thinking of much happier moments of my life when I was wearing it. I give a big thumbs up for the Lovely Garden, please don't hate me those who don't like milky, sweet and/or rhubarb scents. I just have this thing for edible smells, perfumes that are good enough to eat or drink :) I am the biggest sweet tooth in this world.... oh and if I get something reminding me of chocolate I just can't resist, yummm :) xx