Iris Cartagena 502

Thank you Luckyscent for reading between the lines in my request for a clean gourmand scent sample. After more than a month of wearing, I'm finally sold. On my skin, Iris Cartagena's spicy, sweet notes surface, mellowing to reveal sandalwood, vanilla, and a slightly syrupy sweetness that stops far short of a candy scent. It dries down to a complex powdery iris smell with a slight sharpness I can't identify and a whiff of wood and an old spice drawer. I'd been looking for a year-round scent that's stronger than a skin scent, but still requires someone to get a bit closer. I'm not a fan of perfumes with a strong sillage, and this is a great balance. Just everything clean and intoxicating and warm and compelling in a bottle.

One of my all time favorite Iris fragrances is Dior Homme Parfum. Since I am female, I am always on the hunt for that structure that is truly unisex. I have found it in Iris Cartagena. Compliments galore! This is a lifer and a fall winter signature for me.

I really like the opening - I thought I loved it, actually. Then I realized it reminded (a lot) me of Truth by Calvin Klein. The drydown is more woody, but with a faint powdery floral in the background. It’s a very nice fragrance, but for me it doesn’t feel unique.