A Little Squirt with a Big Attitude! (Fendi: Fendi, Eau de Toilette)

Member Name: tange

Product:	Fendi: Fendi, Eau de Toilette
Date:	12/04/08 (89 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A nice long lasting fragrance.

Disadvantages: A Little strong for some tastes.

I know it is a while since Christmas, but I've finally got around to posting a review on one of the gifts I received. Having dropped lots of hints to my husband I was very happy to learn that my efforts had been rewarded. I opened one of my pressies on Christmas morning a revealed a box containing a bottle of Fendi. Now I no longer have to pop into Boots on my way to work for a quick squirt: my previous bottle was pretty much gone and I was REALLY hoping for a replacement!

Fendi was launched in 1985, by the fashion house of the same name. It is available in a variety of bottle sizes, and as either an Eau de Parfum or an Eau de Toilette. Eau de Parfum is the stronger option; it is also more expensive, so for general everyday wear Eau de Toilette is fine. I find that it lasts long enough: For example, if I have a spray of Fendi in the morning, before I go to work, I can still smell it in the evening. A quick squirt prior to going out and it lasts all night - in fact, I can still smell it in the morning when I wake up (that's if I went to bed at all!!). It is probably more of an evening fragrance though, I do find it a little heavy for general day wear - except for special occasions such as weddings.

My bottle is 100ml of Eau de Toilette. I don't know how much my husband paid for it (he apparently went to fragrance direct on the t'internet so he didn't have the embarrassment of buying women's smelly stuff in person!), but the cheapest I have seen the 25ml size is £7.99 in Wilkinsons or £13.99 in Superdrug, although buying it while abroad may be even cheaper. Shopping around on the Internet is also an option and I found it at vastly varying prices. The recommended retail price for the 100ml bottle is £49.00, but I don't think anyone would have to pay that for it. The prices seemed to around the £25 - £30 mark.

Let me try and describe the product for you. I don't normally do the whole package description thing, but I actually think the bottle of perfume is often part of the whole perfume wearing experience - a little like the bottle and glass being essential to the drinking of a Belgian beer! The box is light yellowy brown (a little like a wood grain effect), with black edging and the Fendi name on it. It also has the Fendi logo of two capital Fs, one upside down. The contents are displayed in millilitres and fluid ounces; in the case of my bottle this is 3.4floz or 100ml. The back of the box shows the company details, place of manufacture and the usual warnings about perfume being flammable. The bottle itself is clear with a black top. There is no removable lid; very useful for someone like me who is prone to lose the tops off of bottles! The shape is simple, practical and classy.

The ingredients are listed as:
ALCOHOL DENAT
FRAGRANCE
DEMINERALISED WATER

Again, I try not to list ingredients in a review, but I just wanted to show that they are not a very inspiring selection for something that smells so nice! The fragrance is a blend of citrus and musk; it is strong but not overpowering, providing you don't go too mad with the spraying (I'm looking for subtlety, not to smell like a perfume counter!). I would recommend it for everyday wear, but it is also special enough for a night out. It is woodier than floral, but I still find elements of rose and jasmine, along with other accent aromas.

I have read a few descriptions of Fendi in magazines: They say that it is a "blend of leather, rose, sandalwood, amber and musk". I can see (or should that be smell?) how they come to that conclusion. It is not a classic floral scent and may not be to everyone's taste, but anyone who likes a heavier, spicy fragrance will not be disappointed by Fendi.

I would suggest that you try a test spray on your wrist and leave it to develop. Perfumes change quite dramatically on the skin, and from person to person, so something that you love in the shop may not suit you when you get it home. Choosing a fragrance is (to me at least) a very personal experience and a good perfume can be a good investment. A bad choice can be an expensive mistake, so take your time and shop around!

I wear a few different perfumes to fit both my mood and the occasion. At the moment I am really enjoying the aroma of my new bottle of Fendi. It was a good choice and a well received present...Thank you Alun...it's much appreciated and was a real treat to find it in my Christmas stocking!

Summary: One of my favourite, long lasting perfumes.