Binxcat's Purrfect Fragrance

Acqua di Parma - Colonia Pura Launched in 2017, Colognia Pura (“Pura”) is a floral woody musk.   Pura opens with what I consider to be the classic bergamot – orange opening we get from many of the brand’s fragrances.   The citrus is bright and crisp.   The opening riff does not linger long before it is joined by an almost barbershop detergent soapiness and a sharp coriander.   I get a sense of aldehydes although there are none listed in the notes. As Pura wears, the often heady jasmine sambac and narcissus appear.   Instead of their typical bold entry, they seem softened and somewhat green.   The soapiness continues with a bit of a metallic turn to the composition.   Rounding out Pura is a light woody musk with only background hints of patchouli.   These notes warm the fragrance and carry it through the dry down. Pura wears on me with moderate projection for roughly 8 hours. Notes: bergamot, orange, jasmine sambac, narcissus,...

Acqua di Parma - Colonia Mirra Eau de Cologne Concentrée Colonia Mirra is a dark oriental woody twist on the original Colonia.  Despite the opening with the same notes as Colonia – citruses and orange blossom – Colonia Mirra soon takes a turn to the dark and mysterious side. The spicy note of nutmeg and aromatic resinous amber and myrhh bring a deep warmth to the juice.  The spice is moderate and the amber and myrhh are intense.  There is a balsamic almost incense-like nature to the notes as they are blended. A  woody frankincense deepens the fragrance even further while an earthy patchouli winds itself around the notes.  Wearing Colonia Mirra felt very much like walking through a dark foggy wood at night.  The fragrance feels complex and sophisticated yet almost magical. Colonia Mirra wears on me for roughly 10 hours with moderate projection. Notes: citrus, orange blossom, nutmeg, myrrh, patchouli, frankincense, amber

Acqua di Parma - Peonia Nobile Peonia Nobile (“Peonia”) is characterized as a floral.  Right off the bat, I want to say that to my nose this fragrance wears more as a fruity floral on my skin.  That said, Peonia opens with a fresh, tart, rose-tinged peony dipped in a succulent sweet raspberry.  Acqua di Parma characterizes the opening as one with a vibrant black pepper accent with soft raspberry; on me it’s quite the opposite.  The initial few hours of wear feel decidedly “pink” and luminous.  There is an authenticity to the raspberry note; there are no artificial leanings at all.  While certainly I get nuances of black pepper, the opening is all about the decadently rich fruity floral. This juice wears as the same fruity floral for roughly 3 hours when I begin to get a boost of brightness from the geranium.  The geranium, and in fact the heart of this juice, seems quite short-lived as by the 4 hour mark, the moodier base notes seem to ris...