Simply Blanc

Conclusion

This fragrance is suited for precisely one occasion: when you want to smell vaguely beachy while sitting alone in your air-conditioned office, dreaming of a vacation you can't afford. It's a Monday morning mood-lifter for someone who defines luxury as a heavily discounted Bath & Body Works candle. It might work for a teenager's first foray into "sophisticated" scents, but anyone seeking genuine warmth and radiance will find themselves sorely disappointed.

Notes & Nuances

Simply Blanc opens with a perplexing pistachio note that leans more towards almond extract, quickly overtaken by a generic citrus zest devoid of bergamot's characteristic brightness. The cardamom is a ghost, a fleeting whisper of spice that vanishes before it registers. The floral heart emerges as a wall of indistinct white blossoms, vaguely tuberose-esque, underpinned by a cloying, almost medicinal ylang-ylang accord. The base is where it truly veers off course; the coconut presents as an artificial suntan lotion accord, blended with a synthetic amber that carries a plasticky edge, and a tonka bean note that reminds one of vanilla-scented car air freshener. The overall impression is of a department store candle aisle attempting a tropical theme. It lacks the sophisticated, solar warmth of its inspiration, opting instead for a sugary, synthetic approximation.

Wear time & Sillage

Longevity is approximately 4 hours on skin, projecting weakly within arm's length for the first hour, then settling into a barely-there skin scent. I tested it in a moderately humid environment, and it wilted under the pressure.