Belle Dolce

Is it Worth It?

If Belle Dolce were a movie character, it would be Regina George in *Mean Girls*, trying too hard to appear effortlessly affluent but ultimately revealing a manufactured and shallow core.

Olfactory Experience

Belle Dolce opens with an assertive fruity accord, but where Coro offers a sophisticated maracuyá nuance, this presents as an overly-sweetened mixed fruit jam. The initial blast possesses a certain stridency, a distinct artificial mango facet clashing somewhat discordantly with the floral heart. As it settles, the promised orris root struggles to emerge, hampered by the persistent fruitiness, resulting in a powdery effect that feels oddly detached from the composition. The drydown leans heavily on a saccharine vanilla note, underpinned by a suggestion of sandalwood that reads more as generic woody amber. There's a definite divergence from the Xerjoff inspiration; the complexity and nuanced development are conspicuously absent, replaced by a linear, somewhat simplistic rendering. The original’s creamy richness is replaced by an almost plasticky sweetness.

Projection Power

On my skin, Belle Dolce lasted approximately 5 hours. Projection initially extends to about an arm's length, then quickly retreats to a skin scent within 90 minutes. I tested it in a controlled indoor environment (office) and found it became cloying after prolonged wear.