Chloé Chloé Eau de Parfum review

           French fashion house Chloé was founded in 1952 by Egyptian-born Parisienne Gaby Aghion. The brand is best known for creating designs that were 'prêt-à-porter', or ready-to-wear, at a time when luxury brands were producing 'made to measure' clothing. Chloé is beloved for its clean, free-spirited, and feminine designs. Karl Lagerfeld launched the original Chloé perfume in 1975. The tuberose heavy fragrance was reformulated in 2008 into the powdery rose version of Chloé Chloé Eau de Parfum that most of us are familiar with today. The barely blush toned packaging is contrasted by a stalwart square bottle; the combination hints at the feminine, yet bold perfume that is Chloé. Chloé has an enigmatic personality; it's a signature scent for some, but a complete turn-off for others. I've spent some time investigating the polarizing nature of this perfume; here's what I discovered:

Notes: pink peony, freesia, lychee, magnolia flower, lily of the valley, rose, cedarwood, amber, honey.

            Chloé Chloé Eau de Parfum is a delightful rose scent with hints of powder, sweetness, and a surprising pungency. Chloé opens with a beautiful watery peony and rose burst that I want to hold on to forever. That moment is quickly broken up by a sharp scent that resembles the pungent aspect of lily and the woodiness of magnolia stuffed into a single note. It is the precarious intermixture of these clashing scents that rides the line between  interesting and intolerable. I think skin chemistry is a strong factor as to the sort of smell you will get.  For those lucky enough to get light amounts of lily and magnolia, the mixture will add a redolent dimension. On the pulse of my wrists, however, these elements are unbearably strong. As the scent progresses, the rose hugs a sweet lychee, resulting in a juicy floral. A light amber concurrently prickles my nose. Towards the conclusion of Chloé , there's not much development or jostling of notes. It seems as if all the notes just trail off in a gradual diminuendo. I'm left with rose, a pinch of powder, lychee sweetness, amber, and a mild amount of the contentious lily and magnolia note.

          Chloé Chloé Eau de Parfum is like a beautiful chiffon gown wrapped in a well worn leather jacket; it's a rosy floral with an edge that matches the confident and free-spirited femininity of the brand. The opening florals are beautiful, however the scent's success does depend on skin chemistry. Unfortunately it wears poorly on me, but I can see why it's well loved by others. It's a scent with potential, but I'd recommend trying before buying! Thanks for reading! Have you tried Chloé Eau de Parfum? Do you have a favorite out of Chloé's fragrance lineup?

Love, Dovey.

P.S. This month's issue of InStyle (February 2013) has a nice feature on Chloé designs. The 2004 Phoebe Philo dress is absolutely stunning!