THE JOYS OF SPRING (Elizabeth Arden: Splendour, Eau de Parfum)

Member Name: Shazzy

Product:	Elizabeth Arden: Splendour, Eau de Parfum
Date:	01/06/04 (748 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Often on special offer

Disadvantages: Not elegant enough for evening wear

I?ve used a good few perfumes in my time and for more years than I?d care to count.

Standing by the perfume counter, slowly perusing the bottles on display, I wondered whether it was time to try something new. Not having time for the spray-wait-sniff test I?d almost decided to stick with what I already knew when another Elizabeth Arden fragrance caught my eye. ?Splendor? was on special offer for? wait for it? £4.99!! Surely a decent perfume couldn?t be that cheap? I looked away, looked back, looked at the label again and sure enough, it was still showing the same price on a sign you couldn?t fail to notice. Now I know ?Red Door? can often be found on offer for around £8 but a fiver just seemed more like a joke than anything else.

I asked the assistant if the price was correct and yes, it most certainly was. That did it. There was only one thing to do. A bottle was procured and securely stowed in my handbag.

I had no idea what to expect. At that price, it could?ve been complete and utter rubbish but having had several Elizabeth Arden scents before, I knew that while they weren?t necessarily top of the range, they certainly weren?t your usual pound shop junk either.

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THE BOTTLE

Inside a rather boring looking pale blue box was a rather appealing little bottle. Not the prettiest perfume bottle I?ve ever seen but certainly one that would look good on a dressing table or cosmetics shelf. Just look at the picture at the top. Don?t you think it?s nice? Mind you, it isn?t quite as gold as it appears in the picture. My bottle?s clear and has a silver band below the ball on top. I actually prefer it this way; it?s trendy without losing its classic elegance.

Elizabeth Arden aren?t known for being particularly creative with their bottle de
signs so in that respect, I was really quite impressed.

In case there are any males reading that are wondering why I?m giving the bottle so much importance, let me just tell you that perfume bottles are funny things. I don?t know what it?s like with after-shave but for us girls, a lovely perfume in a pretty bottle somehow makes you feel pampered. Not to mention its decorative value. Can you imagine putting a milk bottle on a vanity table? I think not.

Bottle: 3/5

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THE SCENT

Now that we have the bottle out of the way, let?s move on to the really important part. What did it smell like?

I?m no authority on perfume and have no idea about key notes, top notes, middle notes and the rest. I just know what I like and what I don?t.

I can?t really separate the various floral notes from one another but this one, to me, smells very light and sweet, almost like springtime or early summer. Not balmy enough to be a hot summer?s day and a little too colourful for winter. Do you understand what I?m saying? There?s sweet pea in there and maybe some magnolia and musk but that isn?t all. There?s more that I can?t identify. A quick look on the web told me that the actual fragrance is: top note - sweet pea, water lily and freesia; middle note - magnolia, champagne and musk and base note - amber, rosewood and sandlewood. Give it half an hour after spraying before making a final decision because it isn?t until then that its true colours shine through. I found it changed quite drastically during that time.

There?s something youthful about the scent. I can?t imagine a very mature woman wearing this but it isn?t so youthful that only the very young can use it. It?s light hearted and says ?lets have fun?. Sexy? No, not really.

Gosh, scents are difficult to des
cribe, aren?t they?

Scent: 3/5

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WHAT?S IT SUITABLE FOR?

It?s certainly fresh and although not a particularly romantic fragrance, is still suitable for evening wear as well as every day use. I?m quite happy to use ?Splendor? at all times of the day because while it has enough depth for casual evening use, it?s also light enough for work and pushing a trolley around Tesco.

I wouldn?t choose this as my ?best? perfume; it doesn?t evoke enough passion in me for that. There are others out there that would make far more of an impact when you?re really trying to impress, especially if elegance is on the menu.

Although described as being suitable for romantic occasions, if you?re hoping to get a certain temperature rising, I doubt this is the perfume to choose. The musk may have some effect but other than that, it just isn?t seductive enough for any real ooh-la-la!

Usability: 3/5

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HOW?S ITS STAYING POWER?

Hmm, difficult question. Our noses become accustomed to a new smell very quickly so while we sometime think our perfume has worn off, others can still smell it. This can lead to unnecessary reapplication and women who absolutely reek of the whore?s parlour syndrome. My mum, bless her, falls into this category. When she goes out, Estee Lauder?s Youth Dew can be smelt for about a mile around her! I do try to tell her?

Anyway, back to Splendor.

This one isn?t by any means overpowering (unless, according to my better half, you apply it whilst sat in a closed car) so I decided to do a test. I was all alone last night so I sprayed some on my wrist before going to bed. I figured my nose would forget the smell
during the night and I?d be able to tell how well it?d stuck around easier than with a day-time test. By the time I woke, the perfume had been on for 9 hours and could definitely be smelt. Not strong but a lovely wafting fragrance. Do bear in mind that I wasn't active during the night (I said I was alone, didn't I?) so the sweating associated with normal daytime activity may well effect its staying power somewhat.

I?d say the strength of this is just right for day time use but evening wear might demand something more powerful depending on the occasion. However, as with the way scents develop, their staying power also tends to vary from person to person so any definite answer to this question?s impossible.

Staying power: 4/5

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AND THE PRICE?

As I said, I got my bottle on special offer but having looked on the ?net, I found a price of £7.99 for 30ml bottle eau de perfum. This carries a RRP of £20 (this is the price Ciao?s sponsors are currently selling it for).

I wouldn?t pay £20 for this perfume. £7.99, yes. Maybe even a tenner. I think that?s as far as I?d go, though. £4.99 makes me even happier!

Price: 3/5 (because it?s often on offer but is too expensive otherwise)

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WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?

Another difficult question. Perfumes smell different on different people so unless you have the same chemical reactions as me, it may well smell awful or even better on you.

If you?ve tried Red Door, Sunflowers or White Diamonds and got along with them then you?ll probably like this. Cerruti 1881 smells dreadful on me as does Ysatis so if either is one of your favourites, you?d probably do well to steer clear of thi
s one. I?m just guessing, though.

It?s a decent, all-purpose sort of scent but I wouldn?t recommend paying full price. For those who like this fragrance, it?s excellent value for money if you can find it on offer and the offers also make it easier to try without losing too much should you decide that it isn?t for you.

Overall judgement: 3/5

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I?ve been having little sniffs whilst writing this, both on my wrist and from the bottle and am starting to feel a bit woozy now. Too much perfume does that to me. I think I?ll grab a bath and go au naturelle for the rest of the day. No, not naked! I?m painting the shed and somehow I think a naked Sharon wielding a paint brush might be a little too shocking for my neighbours.

Summary: