Caramel Cascade

Bottom Line

The ideal wearer is someone drawn to overtly sweet fragrances who prioritizes immediate gratification over nuanced development. Someone who might enjoy wearing this to a casual brunch or a daytime outing where a bold, albeit synthetic, sweetness is desired. They favor inexpensive gourmand treats and gravitate towards sugary flavored beverages.

First Impressions & Dry Down

Caramel Cascade opens with a blast of citrus, dominated by a candied blood orange note that recalls orange-flavored hard candies rather than the fruit itself. The bergamot is fleeting, quickly overtaken by a synthetic lavender accord which introduces a slightly medicinal, almost camphoraceous edge. The heart attempts a complex layering, but the cinnamon reads as a simple, powdered spice. The licorice is strangely muted, more an abstract sweetness than true anise. Jasmine is present, but indistinct, barely registering against the cloying sweetness. The drydown is where the "caramel" emerges, yet it's not a rich, buttery caramel. Instead, it's akin to that of artificial butterscotch flavoring, underlined by a pervasive vanilla with a plasticky sheen. The promised musk remains elusive, a faint, almost imperceptible whisper. It diverges from its inspiration most significantly in the lack of depth and textural complexity.

Wear time & Sillage

Longevity is moderate, clinging to the skin for approximately 5 hours. Projection initially extends to about an arm's length, then rapidly contracts to a skin scent within an hour. Tested in an office environment, it didn't garner any unsolicited attention.