Launched: 2000
Group: Aromatic fruity

INTRODUCTION

Neblina Eau de Toilette was another fragrance I bought on Ebay France following a recommendation from a fellow Fragrantica member (online community for perfume enthousiasts). I was also looking for a more substantial, aromatic green fragrance that would stand the Mediterranean heat. The 'nose' (creator) of this fragrance is Sophia Grosjman, a well-known name that has fragrances such as Bvlgari Femme, CK Eternity, Lancome Tresor, YSL Paris and the latest, YSL Parisienne under her belt. These are mostly soft, floral, feminine scents with a hint of fruit and a certain greeness, so I was expecting something along the lines of these.

THE PACKAGING

The bottle shown on the product image has changed slightly, the one I've got has a clear bottom, however, the its lid is no longer transparent, it now comes with a silver-coloured plastic lid with small forms that look like as if they were seeds to me. The bottle is original and has a slightly odd shape. The packaging is a shiny green carton box, that I find a bit dated.

THE CONCEPT

'Neblina' means mist in Spanish and the fragrance was actually named after the Mountain of Mist or "Pico de Neblina", the highest mountain in Brazil usually covered in fog. The aim of the perfumer was to re-create the atmosphere and vegetation at this mountain peak 'between heaven and earth' using 'vibrant and audacious notes'.

THE FRAGRANCE

Top notes: orange, apricot, orchid

Just smelling the atomizer and you can tell, Neblina is not your run-of-the-mill slap-on. It's light though quite sweet. Upon application, Neblina opens with a fairly sweet and aromatic mixture of fruits and greens, it's quite potent and characteristic. I can identify a green grassy note, sweet smelling fruits backed up by a slightly dry, woody background. There isn't any sharpness, it's all aromatic, fruity and summery sweet accords, fairly different from anything I've ever come across in perfumes.

Middle notes: violet, orchid, floral notes

The notes change fairly quickly and about 15 minutes later I'm getting powdery notes along with some floral ones, and lastly, quite surprisingly aquatic notes. These are not the usual fresh water notes but rather that of wet vegetation, a bit earthy, mossy but still equally sweet-smelling than at the beginning. The difference is mainly in intensity. Neblina has settled and has a nice, ample sillage, I can feel it around me and will enjoy it for hours. What's closer to the skin, is a mellower, rounded out version of the sweet floral top notes that will stay for another 3 - 4 hours.

Base notes: green grass, oakmoss, woods

Neblina is an Eau de Toilette, though the richness of its notes make it feel I'm using an Eau de Parfum as even in hot weather, it's still detectable after 6 hours. Its sillage has gone but what's left is a lovely, soft blend of powdery woods and some of the remaining creamy sweetness that wears close to the skin in the last hour.

CONCLUSION

Neblina's staying power is about 7 hours in warm weather which is fairly impressive for an eau de toilette concentration. Like most of my collection, I bought this fragrance untested, solely based on reviews and it never regretted it. Recommended if you're looking for an unusual, sweet, green and aromatic fragrance that has decent staying power and isn't watery or sharp like most summer colognes. Sweet and green may seem a contradiction in terms but it surprisingly works. Despite its heavy-ish structure, Neblina never became cloying or heavy, but it has enough strength to brighten up those not-so-sunny days that lie ahead.

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

Yves Rocher rarely stock this fragrance in their shops anymore but it's still available from their website to buy. The full RRP is quite pricey at 37,50Euro or approximately £32 for 50ml Eau de Toilette, shop around on Ebay for a better deal.

Thanks for reading.

©powered by lillybee also posted on ciao.co.uk