At first spray, I winced. Could Rihanna be wrong? I got a strong whiff of the orange blossom, and citrusy scents just aren’t really my cup of tea. However, I was judging the scent way too quickly. After letting it settle for a bit, I realized what made it so popular.
The fragrance truly takes you on a journey. I’m not much of a floral person, but this one might be swaying my opinion. It has such a sweet fragrance, and it has everything to do with the marshmallow. There are hints of warmer vanilla notes, which I love, and the neroli peeks through as well, transporting me to a garden, picking spring flowers and sporting one of those Tuckernuck dresses PureWow readers love so darn much.
Just like I was wrong about what Taylor Swift would like in a perfume, I was very off on what I thought would l appeal to RiRi based on her own perfume line. While that one prides itself on being warmer with notes of musk, Bulgarian rose and magnolia, the Kilian might give some a toothache. The best way to describe it is Fenty Eau de Parfum is the Anti album and Kilian is the Loud album. After applying the latter, I just want to start singing “Only Girl (In the World)” or “California King Bed.”
Like many luxurious eau de parfum, the scent lasted well into the night. Since I like applying perfume as soon as I hop out of the shower (in tandem with my lotion), it stayed on my skin for a couple of hours and really settled into a softer, sexier finish.
The Bottom Line: Is Rihanna’s Signature Scent Worth It?
I can definitely see why people are so quick to say the Barbadian singer smells good. The power of the scent really comes when it settles on the skin. The sweetness of the marshmallow mix with the citrusy/floral combo of the orange and neroli works, works, works, works, works. (Rihanna puns for the win. I’m not apologizing.)
Since releasing her own perfume, I can definitely picture Rihanna layering her OG fave and her new go-to to make her signature scent even more iconic. As we head into spring, I recommend giving this one a chance. The bottle comes in three sizes (0.24, 3.4 and 1.7 oz), so you can try it out if you’re not ready to drop $450. Plus, it has a refillable option, so you can keep the luxe bottle on display for years to come.
The perfume has been around since 2007, so I can understand why it’s stuck around all this time. The romantic aroma truly draws you in and it gets better throughout the day. Hennessy often describes it as a “sexy treat” and I can safely say it gets you noticed and complimented. I apologize for every doubting you, Ms. Robyn.
