Donna Karan • Gold • Fragrances

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masha814 on 9/30/2012 10:58:00 AM more reviews by masha814

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I love love love this rich, ambered lily. There's simply nothing else out there that's like it. It's strong, a little fetid around the edges, like real tropical jungles. It's slightly animalic and only a tiny bit sweet. My first go-round with Gold was not good. It was just too weird, too strong. But over time, I started craving it. When I heard it was discontinued, I bought a few bottles. I strongly prefer the EdP to the EdT, and the bottle is much more fun, too. Lilies and amber, who would have thought?? I think it's genius.

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Tamahawk on 9/13/2011 10:55:00 PM more reviews by Tamahawk

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy   Eyes: Green    

:-/

Ummm, it's getting better than the beginning, but...eeeeee...no...not for me. The top notes seem to smell of plastic and leather (ack- leather doesn't smell good to me!), but it dries down to eventually day lillies with a leather/plastic undertones. I'll try it again in a few days and see if the smell seems better on me then.

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*TOP REVIEWER* BigEars on 4/11/2011 5:57:00 PM more reviews by BigEars

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

I you love the smell of lilies, you will love this much underated lovely. I really liked te lily notes in Vanilla Galante but flound it much too fleeting on my skin. DKG is a stayer. It is quite a heavy hitter so careful not to overspray, but the amber in the drydown is warm and lovely. However the Casablanca lillies are the star imo and make this a truly beautiful scent. Sometimes, I just want something simply pretty and Gold is just that.

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Alicia597 on 1/16/2011 9:05:00 AM more reviews by Alicia597

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I just purchae sed Gold from Ebay for cheap. I probably would not have bought it for full price, although I am generally pleased with DKNY perfumes (I love Cashmere Mist). First, you have to love the smell of lilies. If you don't, this fragance is not for you. It is lily, lily and more lily. However, after ten minutes it really softens and you can smell the other notes. It is definitely a winter fragrance for me. It is somewhat spicy even with the lily notes. This perfume has great sillage and lasts forever. I have been looking for a perfume with good lasting power (don't even get me started on how much money i have spent on high end perfumes that last an hour). I could smell it the next morning on my clothes. Gold is a great going out perfume since it is a little heavy for work and definitely lingers. I don't care for the bottle. It is not as pretty in person as it is in the ads. Overall, I will definitely wear this and it is different from anything else I own.

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*TOP REVIEWER* CecileCecile on 10/2/2010 6:00:00 PM more reviews by CecileCecile

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

(EDP) Best unsniffed buy, ever. I ordered a bottle of this based on notes. I love the smell of Casablanca lilies, reminds me of my most recent wedding day because I carried a bouquet of them. This is mainly lily, though I do get the edge of clove and pollen at the start. It definitely does last! My skin is a true test of that, and Gold goes the distance. I get no sweetness at all, just fresh, true Casablanca Lily. Great, great scent. I will repurchase. I will!

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*TOP REVIEWER* SensualSusanna on 5/7/2010 11:38:00 AM more reviews by SensualSusanna

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Oh my! This is it... Donna Karan Gold EDP is AMAZING!! Lily, cream and vanilla. BIG BOLD MADONNA LILY!!!! White, creamy, a little spicy and magical. I can smell Lily and more LILY.... 'Hello my name is Susanna and I am a LILY addict." I admitt it when it comes to Lily --- I don't want Lily of the Valley -- I don't want soft.. I want BOLD deliciousness. Donna Karan Gold EDP is everything I had hoped to get in Un Lys, but couldn't. Unfortunately for me, Un Lys loses it's 'lily' scent after 15 mins of application. Up until that point -- I knew heaven in a fragrance and it was Un Lys. But it faded down so quickly to a very nice vanilla. Albeit a nice vanilla.. it's sad and so disappointing that an expensive fragrance, such as Serge Luten's Un Lys couldn't uphold it's top notes a little longer and possibly stay a while longer?! Sad, expensive and cruel. But DK Gold does uphold it's lily -- lovely lily throughout the fragrance wearing. And for a fragrance to do that for under $30 for a 100 ml bottle... that's fabulous! Obviously full bottle worthy -- and just in time for summer!!!

---------------- A word of caution and a little education to boot ------ DK Gold is the epitome of the example of differences in formulation of scents.. i.e., EDT vs. EDP .. vs. flankers (i.e. reformulations of fragrances retaining part of the name i.e. "Donna Karan Gold Sparkling") ---------- DON'T bother with EDT or Sparkling EDT versions unless you work with invalids -- as they're 'nice', but so non-descript of lily with only soft hints of this fragrance. Pass on them. Go for the EDP version and you'll be in lily heaven!

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*TOP REVIEWER* foe on 4/25/2010 1:37:00 AM more reviews by foe

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Olive   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

First off: I'm a lily-aholic. Basically, if you add lily, I will buy it. Or at least go out of my way to sniff it. But with Donna Karan Gold, I bought my bottle online unsniffed since I'd heard it compared to Frederic Malle Lys Mediterranee, which I was LUSTING over at the time. And suffice it to say, I was not disappointed. LM has that great salty note that makes it so distinctive but Gold? Man, Gold holds its own. The sillage is fantastic and so is the longevity. When I spray this on my clothes it lasts for DAYS. If you're not a lily fan, I'd say stay away. Far, far away. The lily is apparent and strong from topnote to drydown. An acquaintance of mine once expressed surprise that I would wear something so "old-ladyish". Sometimes people use this "old lady" descriptor in ways that really surprise me: Gold isn't "old lady" a la No. 5 or Miss Dior. Gold is a lily bouquet that hits you over the head and then smothers you in its petals (is that "old ladyish"?). Now that I actually OWN Lys Mediterranee, it'll be interesting to see which I reach for more often. I think it will be LM but I have a feeling there will always be room in my heart for Donna Karan Gold. By the way, I am reviewing the edp. I have yet to try the edt.

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*TOP REVIEWER* pennypencil on 2/27/2010 10:36:00 AM more reviews by pennypencil

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Kinky, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I feel that in fragrance, as with other trends, things feel right at some points (high-waist trousers, boot-cut jeans, mullets and prog rock) and not at others. I’m sick of reading this new buzz-word, ‘on-trend’, in magazines (it’s seriously overused) but I understand that it’s talking about the ebb and flow of ‘what is hot, NOW’. Right now, in fragrance, it feels okay to wear aquatic, oceanic, ozonic fragrances again. I positively enjoyed wearing Acqua di Gio the other day; I’m craving Thierry Mugler’s Eau de Star a little bit; also, the cucumber note in Donna Karan Gold suddenly seems ethereal, refreshing and well judged. Badly timed, of course, released slap bang in the middle of that period where we collectively held marine fragrances in contempt for being derivative of the nineties. I’m not sure if it’s in production any more – I think not – but it’s still readily available on discount sites.

My experiences with white florals are limited, but Donna Karan’s Gold is, to my nose, a high quality, well-composed and multifaceted fragrance, not a million miles away from the coveted and expensive Lys Méditerranée, by Frederic Malle. Both are salty and airy, though Gold is reminiscent of a country house pond, complete with grand water-feature and lily pads, to Lys Méditerranée’s sea spray.

I appreciate the clove in Gold – also used in Penhaligon’s Lily & Spice – but the note most prominent, other than the quiet (here) Casablanca Lily, is the indolic jasmine. I would go so far to say that Gold is predominantly jasmine, which is just about acceptable to me (as a non-lover of the difficult note). In the dry-down, the amber and jasmine are akin to the mix in one of my favourite fragrances – Jasmin de Nuit, by The Different Company. At this point (in the eau de parfum), Gold has become sweeter and warmer, and only the tiniest bit like a nappy.

Gold is a transparent, traversing fragrance, with heaps of sillage and more artistry than its shelf-life suggests. It stands its ground against Serge Lutens, Malle, Antica Famacista and Penhaligons – maybe a little too well. Perhaps if it was less niche-smelling and more amenable, it would have been more popular.

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AnnaSa on 1/17/2010 8:36:00 AM more reviews by AnnaSa

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

This is a good quality scent with great longevity - however, it is not for me. I get lilies and some acacia on an amber base, but I find the lilies to be too overwhelming. Compared to another lily scent, Un Lys by Lutens, I actually find this to be more interesting, not as sweet - but harder to pull of. My next take on lilies will be Un lys Mediterrannée by Malle, perhaps I will like it better.
If you like heady lilies, I suggest you give Gold a try, it is well balanced and well done. A heavy, feminine scent with good sillage that I find to be oriental in character, but still not a classic oriental.

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*TOP REVIEWER* shelju on 1/13/2010 3:06:00 AM more reviews by shelju

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Dark, Warm   Hair: Black, Kinky   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this unsniffed . . . something I have NEVER done. But I'm on this fragrance obsession lately and I'm getting daring. Anyway, WHY oh WHY did I do that!?!? This is soooo not for me. I usually go for unusual sensual or flirty scents I was hoping this would be that "unique" sensual floral to add to my collection. NOT. This is too strong and overwhelming for my tastes and does not invoke feelings of sensuality or flirtatious. My frag risk taking days are officially over. so sad!

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amwong on 11/24/2009 6:07:00 PM more reviews by amwong

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

First off, I was a little disappointed with how generic this is. The packaging is pretty and glamourous but the scent itself is a very basical fresh floral. As in crisp white flowers with a hint of grass. I don't usually check the notes since I'm not an expert or anything but if there's musk or amber in here, I can't smell it.


I will say the staying power is pretty amazing though for a light scent. I sprayed it this morning at 8 am and it's now 4 pm and I can still smell it while I'm sitting here. The good thing about how light it is is that you don't end up with a headache even though you're smelling it all day long. Overall, it's generic enough that I won't be buying this again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* boombutt on 10/24/2009 3:54:00 AM more reviews by boombutt

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

this is truly a remarkable lily based perfume with incredible sillage. i couldnt imagine not having this in my collection. i love the boldness of the scent. this perfume certainly makes a statement about the wearer...classy, confident and womanly. a definite man catcher! i can picture a man intrigued to meet the woman wearing this.
the lily remains true on me until hours later when it develops some moodiness. this is a staple spring fragrance but i wear it other times too. those that dont like the scent presently might regret not having a bottle later. it is just the type of fragrance that could change your opinion of it down the road.

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Aznavour on 9/26/2009 5:20:00 PM more reviews by Aznavour

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

You either like the strong, heady scent of lilies or you don't -- and the same goes for DK Gold.

The spices and cloves at the open come on a bit too strong and will probably overwhelm anybody expecting a gentle lily floral. Just wait a bit -- the strong spices relax after half an hour, and you'll thank them for it because it's the spice mix that lends a polleny aspect to the lily note that emerges afterwards. And it's one hell of a lily note: a big, loudmouthed, totally realistic lily, like a whole armful of stargazers. But it softens nicely as it progresses, becoming slightly creamy on the skin in the drydown.

DK Gold is generally more aggro than SL Un Lys, which I tend to think of as a comforting, ladylike, sweaters-and-pearls lily. Gold's a bit cheaper (seriously, don't pay more than $30 for this -- you'll like it more the cheaper you get it), a bit harder, a bit more rock 'n roll. A torn jeans sort of lily.

Love it or hate it, I guess!

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*TOP REVIEWER* hesterC on 8/28/2009 5:04:00 AM more reviews by hesterC

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Ahhhhhhh!!! I always tend to forget how happy this EDP makes me when I wear it. The first two minutes of the topnotes are a tad too much lily, which sometimes puts me off deciding on it. My boyfriend also finds this phase nose-searing. But oh, the rest of its hours and hours of life on my skin! The flowers, the masses of flowers, up top, the honeyed caramel-ey goodness down below (which is boyfriend-approved BIGTIME) ... this really seems like a genius perfume to me. NOT shy, strong, almost feral in its richness. If you're feeling even slightly under the weather, it's a big no: you need to feel strong and on top to carry this, at least I do. Big, beautiful, landmark perfume. SO sad if it were to be discontinued. But I have a lovely big bottle, so I'm ok :)

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happymom2006 on 4/22/2009 5:32:00 AM more reviews by happymom2006

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

I bought one perf and got a sample size of DK Gold, don't like it at all, too floral for my taste and gives me headache. My major problem is, the scent lingers and I can smell it hours and hours after, really gives me headache.

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persimmons on 4/7/2009 2:50:00 PM more reviews by persimmons

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

A big floral perfume. too big and too floral for me. I also find it a bit too sweet. Ironically, whenever I wear this I get lots of compliments. I have the EDP version, and I thought an EDT concentration, which I imagined as lighter and sheerer, will be perfect for me. Unfortunately when I happened to test the EDT I liked it even less.

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*TOP REVIEWER* staciarose22 on 2/17/2009 1:53:00 AM more reviews by staciarose22

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

A whole team of perfumers worked on this perfume: Yann Vasnier, Rodrigo Flores-Roux and Calice Asancheyev-Becker. It's incredibly exotic, but yet the lily makes it classic. Casablanca's....are intensely feminine. Perfume is art, and this composition of notes along with the bottle is complete art. The gold hammered sleeve, the ebony wood cap.. It's something special.
Notes: casablanca lily, fluid amber, acacia, white clove, golden balsam, gold pollen and east indian patchouli. Update: After some more testing and taking notes. It's constantly changing on my skin. It's complex and moves between notes smoothly. It's worth the price, this perfume lives up to the promise. I rarely find a perfume where you can clearly smell it morphing into something brilliant, but this does. I paid $42 for the 3.4 oz on Amazon, and I have since seen they are sold out. There are good deals online, you just have to dig for them. This is not for the faint of heart. It's unique and for special events. I would wear it to a wedding. One spray is all you need. It's not a perfume for everyone, but it is interesting and far from basic.

Update: I think women are so used to fruity florals that they don't want to take risks with anything else. There comes a time when you have to step out of the perfume genre you wore in college and move on. While I don't wear this every day, I do love it in the Winter. I am sure this is a best in cold weather. It is intense and complex... far from anything simple. I spray it on right before I leave the house, so there is air around me. I think when people spray a perfume with strength indoors they instantly hate it or get headaches. You have to let perfume breathe just like wine. ;)

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*TOP REVIEWER* rastaxcore on 1/26/2009 5:44:00 PM more reviews by rastaxcore

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I got several sample vials of this stuff with an order and expected it to be a very heavy oriental (I know, I know, don't judge a perfume by its bottle). I was pleasantly surprised at the first whiff -- lilies with the softest hint of amber and pepper. What really makes this perfume shine is how it wears on; reading reviews it appears the EDP does combine especially well on the skin. It wears all day while giving little "whiffs" every few hours. If you like white florals with just enough oriental and woody notes to take off the sharp edges, this is something to try. My only complaint is the price; unfortunately I think I'll be stuck buying sample vials for quite awhile.

UPDATE: I found this on ebay for quite a bit less than the market price, it looks like I'll be going for that full size after all! I have also figured out what the "singing" note is -- amidst the lilies and clove there's DANDELION! And a touch of lilac! It smells like wildflowers. I think that's what makes it so unique.

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*TOP REVIEWER* sherrie09 on 1/12/2009 3:48:00 PM more reviews by sherrie09

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I also think this is a sleeper masterpiece. Rich, heady Casablanca lilies, acacia, a golden nectar quality, and a bit of spiciness. Truly intoxicating. It's well blended and well composed. It's linear, and I definitely get the feeling of a molten golden liquid. It is potent juice (not a shy fragrance). But it is perfection. Mine is the edp, and I've read that the edt and edp are different in that the edt has a pronounced cucumber note, and is lighter. I'd go for the edp in this one.

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*TOP REVIEWER* maan84 on 12/14/2008 5:59:00 PM more reviews by maan84

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I got a generous sample of this fragrance, Gold by Donna Karan. I've been wearing it for a few days now. It's a bit too intense for my liking.

This fragrance is definitely more suitable for evening wear. The scent is a mix of jasmine and lily. Quite unique, I have not scented anything quite like it before.
However, since it's a bit too "old lady" for my taste I wouldn't buy it. This fragrance is just not good enough to justify a purchase. Sure, I might wear what's left of my sample as an evening wear fragrance. But this fragrance is just not for me. I much prefer Be Delicious or Red Delicious over this one. If you are into more intense, heavy fragrances and like jasmine, lily fragrances this might be the perfect fragrance for you.

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