Wednesday 31 December 2008

Yves Rocher Pivoine

RRP: £11.50/€17 for 60ml eau de toilette; also available in 30ml (£8.60)

--What does the promo say?--
"Envelop yourself in tenderness! Surrender to the voluptuous allure of peony; a large, yet delicate flower that fascinates us with its fragile, romantic blossoms. Its fresh, delicate scent envelops you in soft, floral notes."

--Packaging--
Surprisingly reminiscent of Givenchy's Irresistible, in a sculpted, angular, tall pink bottle. It is the opposite of what one might expect on first smelling the fragrance - more of which shortly.

--Application--
Spray appropriately into hair, onto sternum, onto wrists, and behind ears. Layer with other products if desired.

--Scent--
On first application it smells 'deep' and 'old' - not as fresh and modern as the packaging leads you to expect. In all honesty, it doesn't seem to be a fragrance aimed at young people and is completely at odds with the marketing concept. It develops into something slightly fresher and more subtle, but the change is not great and I still wouldn't describe it as a young, innovative fragrance. It's not unpleasant to smell, however, and the peony comes over very well, as per the description given by Yves Rocher.

--Longevity--
Not bad: it does fade, but very slowly, and this fading is in fact becoming to the fragrance, rather than proving a negative aspect, as this allows it to become 'younger' and more girly.

--Value for money--
The larger 60ml bottle is clearly better value than its half-size opponent, and it's very affordable no matter how you look at it; however, for your money you're getting an inferior fragrance that doesn't suit the young audience at which it's aimed. I'd advise upping your budget and going for something with more wow factor, such as Cacharel's Anais Anais.

perfect partners
Pivoine Shower Gel, £3.90
Pivoine Handwash, £3.20
Pivoine Body Lotion, £6.50

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