Hello! Here is another section to my Fragrance Story. This chapter is a review of Flower by Kenzo Eau de Vie. This is the 22nd interpretation of the original Flower by Kenzo which was released in 2000. In this review, I will be comparing the Original to this new interpretation.
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Disclaimer: All of the photos here with my watermark are taken by me. You cannot use them without obtaining my written permission first. These are my personal views and I do not any way guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any message and will not be held responsible for the content of any message.
Review of Flower Kenzo Eau De Vie (2019 release)
My first impressions of Kenzo Eau De Vie was that it smelled like berries/citrus; roses; vanilla and maybe something spicy like ginger. When I smelled it, I definitely had the sensation in my mouth of something sweet and fruity. My first impressions was that this was not what I would describe as a "complex fragrance" but that it would appeal to many.
This fragrance made me smile. "Eau de Vie" means "water of life" in English. I do think it's a very pretty name.
It is generally classified as a "Floral" scent by perfume enthusiasts.
The "wear time" is good. On me, it lasted for 5-6 hours - at a nice medium level - not overwhelming. The dry down is impressive.
The bottle has the iconic curved lines as the original but showing the poppy from a different angle. I like the design of the bottle. It has that Japanese aesthetic of simple elegance with a deliberate movement of a slight imperfection.
It is described by Kenzo as a romantic fragrance and:
Flower by Kenzo Eau de Vie comes in 30ml; 50ml; 100mi. I like the fact that it does come in different sizes as it offers perfume collectors the option to choose which size they want to add to their collection (my fragrance collection is fairly large) and for those who want to make this their "signature scent" to get a full 100ml.
The notes are:
Top notes: Ginger zest and Orange Blossom;
Heart note: Bulgarian Rose (often the "go-to" rose used in creating fragrances)
Base note; Tonka bean (with white musk and vanilla, albeit "tonka beans" always smell a bit like vanilla to me, just not as sweet.
The noses behind this fragrance are:
Alberto Morillas (whose portfolio includes fragrances for Bvlgari; Estee Lauder; Chopard; Carolina Herrera and many more illustrious brands). I think he has created approximately 100 fragrances.
Marie Salamagne (whose portfolio includes Boitown 冰希黎; Giorgio Armani; Jo Malone; Maison Martin Margiela and more).
Fabrice Pellegrin (whose portfolio includes Diptyque; L'Artisan Parfumeur; Salvatore Ferragamo and more).
It is interesting to me that Kenzo commissioned THREE noses to create Flower By Kenzo Eau de Vie. The Original "Flower by Kenzo" was created by Alberto Morillas (alone). As far as I know (based on very quick research) is that Marie Salamagne and Fabrice Pellegrin have collaborated on at least one other fragrance (Perfume Man Excite Force).
Flower by Kenzo Eau de Vie compared to Flower by Kenzo
When Flower by Kenzo was released in 2000, it was a huge hit. It won a 2001 and 2003 Fifi award. I remember it was extremely popular and I have vague recollections of noticing the scent in the office, at the malls and on the streets.
It was created by Alberto Morillas (who, as I mentioned above, also contributed to the design of Flower by Kenzo Eau de Vie.
Flower by Kenzo is generally recognised as an "Oriental Floral".
The notes are:
Top note: Bulgarian rose; Black Currant; Hawthorn; and Mandarin oranges
Heart note: Opoponax; Jasmine; Parma Violet; Bulgarian rose
Base note: Vanilla; White Mask; Incense
Opoponax is an interesting ingredient. It is also sometimes called sweet myrh. It smells likea mixture of balsamic vinegar and honey. So it gives you a sour sweet scent.
One of the obvious difference between "Flower by Kenzo" and "Flower by Kenzo Eau de Vie" is the packaging.
The Original is on the left, showing a gorgeous opened facing poppy flower and a colourless fragrance. Flower by Kenzo Eau de Vie's poppy is more graphic designed. The poppy is shown with a side profile and is completely red. I think this conveys the idea of "romance" that this fragrance is made to convey. A "shy or perhaps seductively inviting" poppy? Also with the side by side comparison, you can see that the Flower by Kenzo Eau de Vie has a tinted pink/red colour to it.
The psychology of colours is so interesting. Here "red" conveys the romance and love behind the fragrance. I think it is such a well designed reiteration of the original.
In terms of fragrance difference, the Original smells more floral and woody to me. The dry down to the white must and incense is quite pleasant.
I personally prefer Flower by Kenzo Eau de Vie. It is fresher, lighter and less musky.
Final thoughts: Review of Flower by Kenzo Eau de Vie
I feel that Flower by Kenzo Eau de Vie is a good everyday scent. It is not overwhelming. It is a happy scent. So if you like floral and fresh scents, this should be a good fit for you.
So I hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful. I'm pretty much on my social media platforms in some way or fashion 7 days a week. I hope you enjoyed this review.
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