Lead us not into Temptation (Cacharel: Amor Amor Tentation, Eau de Parfum)

Member Name: lillamarta

Product:	Cacharel: Amor Amor Tentation, Eau de Parfum
Date:	02/03/09 (407 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Less expensive than Lancome or YSL

Disadvantages: Isn't original

Launched: 2008
Group: oriental floral

:: Introduction ::

Amor Amor Tentation Eau de Parfum is the latest additon to Cacharel's Amor Amor series that started with Amor Amor Eau de Toilette in 2003. I got a sample of this last week in a department store in France and I was first surprised it was an Eau de Parfum - I never associated the Amor Amor scents with such strength. So is it any good? Or is it just another boring, insipid, unimaginative modern fizzy oriental floral that seems to have invaded our space?

:: The bottle ::

The bottle and packaging is still the usual Amor Amor theme with only a colour change, the huskier, oriental feel is represented with a deep and smoky violet. The box is deep purple donning a drawing of an oversized purple rose.

:: The fragrance ::

Top notes: orange, mandarin

When the first notes have settled on my skin, I'm getting ripe, fizzy forest berries with citrus hints of mandarin. I may be extrapolating the 'purple' colour into the juice or the manufacturers forgot to add them to the list of ingredients! Another five minutes later the fresh and sweet citrus turns into muskier, drier hints of patchouli and rose that strongly remind me the opening notes of Elle by Yves Saint Laurent. A balanced, not too sweet and not too sharp prelude that's busy enough to stay interesting.

Middle notes: ivy, jasmine

Approximately half an hour to an hour later Amor Amor Tentation becomes more intense with a floral kick that is at the same time dry and mellow with a hint of blue - red fruits from Amor Amor lurking in the background. Apart from the sligthly dry jasmine I cannot detect any other florals; only the sweetness of sweet white musk. It's a fairly average, deja-vu scene.

Base notes: tiare flower

In the next few hours the powdery jasmine and musk notes slowly blend with what I can best describe as the drydown of Hypnose by Lancome. The effect is almost identical except the vanilla in Tentation is less creamy and less pronounced. There's also a fairly felt presence of sensual, fresh, almost sporty woody aromas that lock all the gentler notes in making them linger on. All these influences in the drydown remind me of Elle again with its persistent fresh and sensual patchouli aroma and Hypnose's soft vanilla.

:: Conclusion ::

Amor Amor Tentation cleverly (but blatantly) blends several great influences such as Lancome's Hypnose or YSL Elle. A relatively affordable, long-lasting modern floriental that's young and fresh yet mellow and warm but is of course anything but refined, sophisticated or original. To sum up, ideal for the younger crowd who are into real perfumery and have grown out of the cheap price - cheap smell drugstore colognes. Sorry Cacharel, I know you know better and I'm still wearing your sublime Noa Fleur and your divine and discontinued Gloria!

:: Price / Availability ::

In the UK I've only seen this at airports £32 / 50ml Eau de Parfum. Also available on eBay and online fragrance discounters for slightly less.

Thanks for reading.

©powered by lillybee also posted on Ciao UK / US

Summary: A fresh and mellow, bright and warm melange