What’s the next thing you do after you’ve opened the first perfume shop dedicated to niche perfumery in the Washington DC area?  Well, if you’re the petite dynamo, Ari Weinberg, proprieter of Arielle Shoshana, you team up with perfumer Cécile Hua to create your very own branded perfume.

WHAT I SMELL:  Arielle Shoshana opens with a blend of zesty, fresh grapefruit and ripe passion fruit.   It’s citrusy (is that a word??), completely refreshing and applying it gives you the sensation as if you sprayed the most delightful summer cocktail on your skin.  After a bit, the initial zing of the perfume settles down, but the tangy and slightly sour fruity and citrus aspects still remain, as if the sun has evaporated the cool juice off of your skin.  At the same time, a very interesting cardamon note lurks underneath, giving it a more mysterious feel…almost as if the tangy and juicy passion fruit holds a bit of poison.  A dulled rhubarb note then arrives along with a slight soured sandalwood which gives the perfume a dimension of carnality.  In the end, the perfume quiets, but leaves and indelible wake of fruited passion.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Forbidden fruit.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ARIELLE SHOSHANA EAU DE PARFUM:  zesty, refreshing, naughty

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ARIELLE SHOSHANA EAU DE PARFUM: Now Smell This, Colognoisseur

BOTTOM LINE:  Ari and Cécile have created a wonderful perfume as an initial launch for this brand.  It’s the perfect antidote for the hot summer months.  And even better, the perfume could have been a simple take on citrus and passion fruit, but instead there’s an added depth making it more interesting than a summer splash.  I have no doubt that this will be the debut perfume in the Arielle Shoshana line….with, many, many more to come.

• Bone Rating:  4 out of possible 5 bones
• Scent: Floral Fruity
• Nose: Cécile Hua
• Classification: Unisex
• Expense: $125 for 3.4 oz. eau de parfum via Arielle Shoshana.