Gucci | The Scented Hound

Greetings from Mexico. Yes, it’s been quite a while since I last posted, but it seems that 2020 has been a challenging year at best and that current events, i.e. COVID-19, BLM protests and now Tropical Storm Cristobal encroaching upon the Yucatan Peninsula has brought me back out of hibernation…and in search of a comfort scent.

WHAT I SMELL: Winter’s Spring first graces the skin with a soft, slightly flat and flaxen lightly peppered cotton. Rather quickly, a fresh mimosa rushes to the forefront. It’s fresh, light and just the right amount of soft and pretty. After a bit, the mimosa warms on the skin with a buttery hue and just a touch of sweetness. The warmth feels like radiant sun on this skin and the fragrance is incredibly reassuring. After some time, the warmth makes way once again for the slightly cottoned, but this time with a greenish clean mimosa. Winter’s Spring is all about mimosa. As such, you won’t find a great deal of development, but it’s just so pretty and comforting you don’t need anything more than what it is.

From the Gucci website:

Representing the first sign of spring at the end of winter, Mimosa blends with notes of Pepper and Musk. A bright and joyful scent, “Winter’s Spring” conveys an immediate rush of energy and light.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Buttery, summery mimosa.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE WINTER’S SPRING: comforting, clean, reassuring

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT WINTER’S SPRING: eauxSILLAGE – Includes a quick review of the other Gucci Alchemist’s Garden collection.

BOTTOM LINE: I bought this beauty at the arrival of spring this year, partly because I wanted a lovely spring scent and partly because I have been obsessing about the Gucci Alchemist’s Garden collection and the fabulous bottles. I took a risk with a blind buy and wasn’t disappointed. And yes, the ceramic bottles are just as beautiful as in the pictures…and oh so heavy. And of course, this just means I want more from the collection!

A bit more on the Alchemist’s Garden collection from the Gucci website:

Gucci’s first Haute Perfumery line, The Alchemist’s Garden unfolds within an imagined laboratory filled with curious jars and mesmerizing scents. Blended by master perfumer Alberto Morillas under Alessandro Michele’s creative direction, the customizable collection made up of eaux de parfum, perfumed oils and acque profumate (“scented waters”) is inspired by the art of alchemy and fragrance-making, formulated to be layered and blended together to create a unique, personalized fragrance combination. Built around a hero ingredient linked to the distinctive codes of the House, each scent can be magnified, muted or fused with other fragrances from the luxury collection to create a one-of-a-kind sillage.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Alberto Morillas
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $340 for 100 ml eau de parfum

WHAT I SMELL: Gucci Guilty opens with skin bracing bergamot and citrus laden lavender (thankfully the lavender is light). Within a few minutes there’s a sugared layer of wood and patchouli added to the mix. At this point, Gucci Guilty is rather buoyant, refreshing and very accessible. After around 5 minutes, the sugared aspects begin to disappear and the fragrance flattens and becomes more woody and a bit salty, which is a nice touch as it makes the scent feel more part of your body than something that’s just sitting above it. I was expecting Gucci Guilty to be big and in your face. Instead, it’s surprisingly muted and understated making it very easy to wear.

From the Gucci website:

a contemporary fougère fragrance
top notes of lavender and lemon
heart note of orange flower
base notes of cedar wood and patchouli

Easy Living

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Living in uncomplicated ease.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE GUCCI GUILTY: easy, understated, unremarkable

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT GUCCI GUILTY: Now Smell This, EauMG

BOTTOM LINE: With a name like “Guilty,” one would expect a fragrance that is decadent to say the least. In spite of its name, Gucci Guilty is about a harmless as a kitten. For a men’s fragrance, it’s OK as there is nothing unique about it which is too bad, because the opening starts off rather promising. But in the end, you’re left with a pretty quiet perfume that’s “just nice.”

Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Aromatic Fougere
Nose: Jacques Huclier
Classification: Masculine
Expense: Varies. $62 for 50 ml Eau de Toilette