While I wrote of my love for the chocolatey Princess by Vera Wang last week, I’m also very fond of fresh and clean scents. One of my long standing favorites is 212 by Carolina Herrera. It’s been around for over a decade, but I very infrequently smell it used by anyone else. That’s nice, especially when there seems to be a perfume trend in flux and you can’t escape the scents (thinking of Polo Green and Giorgio in the 80’s along with the Liz Claiborne and Hugo Boss in the early 90’s, and then EVERYONE was wearing CK1 in the mid 90s, and the late 90s were dominated by Happy, and Burberry Brit in the early 00s).

Top notes include orange blossom, bergamot and mandarin. The heart note, also floral is composed of camellia, gardenia and lily. The base is made of sandalwood and bright musk

It’s slightly fruity, it’s fresh and it’s powdery. I actually adore the cactus note, strangely enough. Apart from the cactus note, I also sense the mandarin orange and orange blossom notes which are subtle yet divine. The floral notes which make their first appearance after the initial 10 minutes, are quite powdery and strange, not at all what you’d expect. The flowers are somewhat plastic and artificial smelling, however I believe it only adds to this fragrance’s appeal.

The sillage is actually quite strong, which surprised me because most scents of this nature are soft and intimate. The lasting power is also fabulous. I would recommend 212 as a unique Spring/Summer fragrance for women that long to stand out in a crowd. It’s not a seductive scent, so it’s perfect for wearing while running errands or lunch with friends. It’s suitable for every season and occasion!

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