Etro • Heliotrope • Fragrances

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SmellyFaerie on 9/24/2012 12:21:00 PM more reviews by SmellyFaerie

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Etro Heliotrope is one of my ultimate comfort scents. To me, it is the olfactory equivalent of my favorite blanket and a bowl of pumpkin soup. Fortunately, it doesn’t smell like the pumpkin soup, but it is still soothing and as warm as my blanket. It’s the kind of fragrance I find myself craving when it is cold and grey outside, or when I feel mentally and physically exhausted. It just relaxes me and puts me into sleeping mode.



As the name already says, it is a heliotrope scent, and this note is notorious for its “play-doh” vibe. If this is why you avoid heliotrope, you will probably dislike Etro Heliotrope. Personally, I think that heliotrope smells like almonds and cherries, plus I don’t think play-doh has an unpleasant smell, anyway.



Etro Heliotrope notes include: orange blossom, almond, petit grain, bergamot, iris, jasmine, heliotrope, ylang-ylang, rose, tolu balsam, tonka bean, musk, vanilla and peru balsam. It is definitely sweet, as one can imagine with this list of notes, but I wouldn’t jump and call it an “edible” gourmand. Even though it smells very foody in the beginning, you would better wait for the drydown before you judge it.



In the first minutes upon application, it is boozy and very sweet, with the almonds and the vanilla dominating the scene. At this point, it looks like the sweetness will keep on gaining momentum until it becomes unbearable, but fortunately (at least for me), this is not what happens here.



As it starts to dry down, it gets noticeable that most of its sweetness really comes from the heliotrope which, despite its sweet scent, is still a flower. The almond gets tamer, as if there is some sort of marzipan filled pastry being baked somewhere nearby. Among all the gourmand notes here, the vanilla is the last to recede, being gradually replaced by the heliotrope powderiness.



In the late drydown, it smells like a cool vanilla, with very subtle powdery undertones. I don’t detect any other floral, except for the heliotrope, but there is something very non-distinctively floral in the background, I just can’t pinpoint what it is.



The lasting power is very good for an Eau de Toilette and the projection is moderate. It may be a little cloying in higher temperatures, but it is a great cold weather unisex scent.

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*TOP REVIEWER* AntFarm on 1/4/2012 5:09:00 PM more reviews by AntFarm

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Lovely, soft fragrance that smells of sweet dough and making cookies, and also a little bit like a Cabbage Patch Kid. I like this, but it fades so fast it is not a contestant for full-bottle worthy status.

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hyblaean on 9/1/2011 2:41:00 PM more reviews by hyblaean

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

It does smell like heliotrope, but it's unpleasant on my skin. Cherry almond mothballs :/ luckily it seems to be fading quickly.

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*TOP REVIEWER* WentworthRoth on 6/4/2011 11:04:00 AM more reviews by WentworthRoth

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Notes: orange blossom, almond, petit grain and bergamot; orris, jasmine, heliotrope, ylang-ylang and rose; tolu balsam, tonka bean, musk, vanilla and peru balsam.

This fragrance opens with a very bright floral note. Touches of vanilla and almond emphasise the sweetness of the floral – some see cookies, I see plasticine. No matter what, the fragrance transports its wearer back to their childhood for sure. The fragrance mellows considerably as the floral note burns off and leaves me with the subtle aroma of vanilla and almond. At first I linked this fragrance to Louve, but now it reminds me ore of Iris Absolute and its symphony of sweet, powdery floral notes. Powdery is indeed the best-suited adjective for the mid-development of this scent. The dry down is a soapy vanilla with a resinous touch to make it interesting. Lasts for six hours on my skin.

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*TOP REVIEWER* essija on 3/22/2011 4:12:00 PM more reviews by essija

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

Well after seeing all the raves about this one I thought I would try it. I'm not in the majority here, and in fact this smells nothing like almonds or cherry's on my skin, in fact I hate the way this smells, it actually smells like Toothpaste on my skin. Guess I saved myself a lot of $ with this one.

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Aiona on 11/9/2008 11:01:00 PM more reviews by Aiona

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

First spray is alcohol! But soon thereafter, it's almond with vanilla and cinnamon red-hots. Yummy! If "one-dimensional" means that a fragrance doesn't change during the wearing, then Etro Heliotrope is one-dimensional on me.

Husband actually tolerated it. When asked to sniff, Mikey says, "It smells like icing!" (That is considered a compliment, coming from him.)

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*TOP REVIEWER* Shwets on 8/9/2008 11:42:00 AM more reviews by Shwets

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

This fragrance starts off as a soft cherry scent, not at all play doh on me. After an hour it has become sweeter and reminds me of baby powder scent mixed with almonds.

Etro's Heliotrope smells very similar to the drydown of Rahat Lakhoum and so if you hoped for RL to be lighter then Heliotrope is your answer. I prefer it to RL as it is a subtle version of this and lasts very well.

I'm finding that Etro's Heliotrope smells like the base for many fragrances (Kenzo Flower Le Parfum, Rahat Lakhoum, Hypnotic Poison etc) and therefore worth investing in!

Update (24/09/08): This is a gorgeous fine skin scent with sillage - it blends with my skin chemistry so well and is one of my favourite heliotrope fragrances along with L'Artisan's Jour de Fete. Great lasting power for an edc.

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*TOP REVIEWER* sarakat on 2/6/2008 7:43:00 PM more reviews by sarakat

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

This is my favorite fragrance in the powdery almond/heliotrope genre. It doesn't at any point become harsh or medicinal or worse, CHERRY, on me. The drydown is the most beautiful almond vanilla powder. It's also not too sweet, which was my main problem with Acqua di Parma's mandorlo di sicilia. Oh yes, and let's not forget that the opening smells like playdoh! Love the price--$46.50 on Amazon.

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*TOP REVIEWER* 52pigtails on 12/30/2007 11:35:00 AM more reviews by 52pigtails

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I was highly disappointed upon this one. Having read the pyramid, I had formed my own idea of the fragrance, but once I had the chance to try it on my skin, all that I had expectd vanished into a one-dimensional, stale note of sugary almond that almost made me choke. I didn't smell any cherry in it, rather a hint of Italian torrone melted in an oven. Definitely disappointing, I'm sorry

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*TOP REVIEWER* doree_001 on 9/26/2007 6:32:00 PM more reviews by doree_001

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

Opening is very medicinal-y /bitter (but still not repulsive) on me but it settles into a reallly comforting fragrance. Yes, like many noted in their reviews, it smells a bit like almonds & vanilla but there's a note of play-doh, too. It is quite one-dimensional, not very complex, but still interesting and with an aura of a good quality fragrance, not the 'cheap' one. After a while, when the drydown settles, the scent gets warmer and nicer on the skin, much more beautiful than initial notes....I would probably not buy it, because it is not my style and I am not so crazy about it, but it has a certain allure, it is comforting and pleasant, especially for fall or winter. VERY good staying power, in fact surprisingly good for eau de cologne.

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*TOP REVIEWER* azjavagirl on 7/1/2007 11:19:00 AM more reviews by azjavagirl

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

This is one of my comfort fragrances, a "go to" when I've got a busy day or a relaxed evening ahead of me. EH is warm, soft, and sweet from the moment it hits my skin and has a sillage I need to be mindful of--two or three spritzes is more than enough (in this way it reminds me of Mecheri's Loukhoum, another I enjoy when I'm in this mood). I love the floral vanilla of real heliotrope, and EH keeps this floral/vanillic warmth for a good 2-3 hours. Then some wonderful spiciness comes into the drydown; I get whiffs of something and wonder what smells so good and then realize it's me. The spice notes are subtle and blended--there's no shout of cinnamon or clove or anything recognizable--it's just creamy spice that is rich and comforting and a little sexy all at once. I love Etro Heliotrope in all of its phases and can wear it any time of the year. It's a staple in my rather large collection that I've repurchased and no doubt will again.

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lorenz on 4/24/2007 9:49:00 PM more reviews by lorenz

Age: 44-55   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Love that scent very much. It does surprise me that so many women use it - after all, Heliotrope is a men's scent. But the fact remains, it is one of my favorites.

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*TOP REVIEWER* amyhuskiewicz on 2/8/2007 1:52:00 AM more reviews by amyhuskiewicz

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I had such high hopes for this - when I first sprayed it, there was a sweet, comforting scent but it settled into a "stale" note. Drat!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Shadow_Witch on 12/25/2006 5:18:00 PM more reviews by Shadow_Witch

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I want to cry. As much as Messe de Minuit was a hit, Heliotrope was a flop. Heliotrope smells nothing like almonds and cherries on my skin. There's no gourmand marzipan anything... nothing. It simply smells of sweet, creamy yet fluffy heliotrope flowers and then as soon as it appears, POOF!, it vanishes. Still searching for my dream cherry almond fragrance. *sob*

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perfumeslut on 7/19/2006 8:35:00 AM more reviews by perfumeslut

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

LOVE THIS CHERRY ALMOND VANILLA FRAGRANCE! HOWEVER, THE STAYING POWER IS NILL, IT IS SLIGHTLY BETTER IF YOU LAYER IT WITH AN ALMOND LOTION BUT EVEN THATS PUSHING IT. THIS FRAGRANCE BEING AN EAU DE COLOGNE IS NOT CHEAP, AT THE VERY LEAST THEY SHOULD ADD A BIT MORE OIL AND UPGRADE IT TO AN EAU DE TOILETTE OR BETTER YET AN EAU DE PERFUME, NOW THAT WOULD MAKE THIS A FRAGRANCE THAT IS A WINNER ALL AROUND!!!

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carlyannemckay on 6/19/2006 9:34:00 AM more reviews by carlyannemckay

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

This is an HG for me. Does this remind anyone of the original vanilla oil from the body shop?! I wore that for years until they reformulated it. Why do they do that!??! Anyway, I always recieved compliments with that especially from men. Since then I don't get nearly as much compliments on all my other perfumes as that one. But now I have found an incredible replacement. I guess it just goes with me, like not many perfumes do. I am blonde with milky white skin, I am from the south and I am a romantic lady who adores men and romance. I feel you must smell amazing at all times, like a good woman should and the opposite sex must want to devour you. And it's been proven ladies...men love edible fragrances. So Etro Heliotrope, you have a new devotee in this girl. Now all I need to do is buy all the layering products so I can smell so good just a little longer! My CC will hate me!!

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*TOP REVIEWER* maliastyle on 5/23/2006 2:00:00 PM more reviews by maliastyle

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

It's an expensive Lady Evangeline. I can't believe how identical these two are on my skin. I put on LE on one wrist and Etro on the other, and couldn't remember at the end of the hour which one was which, not that it mattered. Identical! That said, LE lasts much longer (right through till the end of the day), while the Etro, in EdC form, disappears within a couple of hours. No repurchase, but that's because I'll never use up this whole bottle, and when I do, I've still got the massive bottle of Lady Evangeline. By then I'm sure I'll have made myself sick of marzipan.

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eatigs on 5/18/2006 2:53:00 PM more reviews by eatigs

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Other, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

This is definitely a very "white" fragrance - not chilly, but it has a wispy sort of lacework quality to it. It smells of almond cream with a substantial dusting of icing sugar, and is reminiscent of the parfum version of Farnesiana. The Caron is a golden scent, however, richer and custardy-sweet, with less powder and more of a cherry note. It is the full-fat dessert, egg yolks emphasized. It is more expensive than the Etro - shockingly so - but the sillage and lasting power are far better, and to my mind, the darker, luxurious Caron base gives it more interest. The Etro is straight-forward, younger and more unisex with a slight "toasted" note in the drydown.

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pussycat74 on 5/4/2006 6:14:00 PM more reviews by pussycat74

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

Well, I love marzipan/almond smells, but this just doesn't do it for me. It smells of almonds (or playdo, but that's no bad thing in my book) for about ten minutes. But after half an hour on me it has the smell of old leather car seats, don't ask me why. It also smells really weak, just not good enough for an expensive scent. The search for a lovely almond fragrance goes on...

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oberon21 on 4/5/2006 6:32:00 AM more reviews by oberon21

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

i like this fragrance even if this is not one of my most beloved in the etro collection ,the sillage is not overpowering and actually i really like the almonds scent but i think is very good at office in the morning better suitable in the summertime

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