I am packing for the beach and so thought it would be appropriate to consider something aquatic today. Sogni del Mare is the latest release from Antonia's Flowers, and was reportedly inspired by owner Antonia Bellanca's home on Cape Cod. The fragrance description did not sound particularly appealing to me (a "watery, fruity, floral with notes of Italian bergamot, cassis buds, wild rhubarb, orange and lotus"), but I had high hopes for it anyway because I so entirely adore their Tiempe Passate.
As it turns out, the description is pretty accurate. It is very watery and fresh, and while the rhubarb and lots of citrus in the opening do help to temper the sweeter berry notes, by and large, it smells mostly like a sweet but sheer berry musk enlivened by a dash of saltwater. Despite the salt, it doesn't really evoke the beach, or even the outdoors, in fact, it reminds me more of a home fragrance product of some sort. After an hour or so, the berry starts to fade and then it mostly smells like salty musk with a bit of pale wood.
If a watery-fresh fruity floral sounds appealing, you might love it, but it does nothing for me at all, and it seems like an odd fit with the more classically oriented fragrances (Antonia's Flowers, Floret, Tiempe Passate) in the Antonia's Flowers line.
Antonia's Flowers Sogni del Mare is available in 50 ml Eau de Toilette. For buying information, see the listing for Antonia's Flowers under Perfume Houses.
Have a favorite beach scent, either one that evokes the beach or one you like to wear at the beach? Do comment!
I shocked myself by liking this one a lot. Favorite beachy scent…the new Azuree maybe. In all honesty I don't like to wear any scent to the beach, firstly because the lotion will over-power anything anyway, and secondly because I love the way skin smells at the end of the day of sun-worshiping and swimming, after the lotion is washed off, – sort of salty and warm and natural. 🙂
M, you liked it WAY better than I did.
Oh – and I don't wear scent on the actual beach, I meant more like “while vacationing at a beach town”, I guess! Azuree Soleil might be the only thing I take with me this time, actually.
Oh, I see, sorry! I'd wear something like Rosine Mea Culpa, my “dolce far niente” scent 🙂
My favorite beachy scent is Rosine's Ecume de Rose. It evokes a marine feeling without employing any screechy L'Eau D'Issey-like ozonic notes.
I haven't tried Sogni del Mare, but it doen't sound like my cup of tea.
I love Ecume! The new Diabolo Rose is nice for summer too, but not nearly so beachy.
Mea Culpa is pretty, and too bad it got discontinued 🙁
Azuree is also my favorite 'going to the beach' scent this year. It reminds me of the summers as a kid – it smells carefree, sunny, warm, beachy. Like Marina, I also like the scent of lotion, water, salt, sweat at the end of the day – bliss.
It sounds like I really need to try Rosine's Ecume de Rose – it's on my wishlist. And hearing it's a nice beach scent might just be my tipping point.
Screechy L'Eau D'Issey was a great discription – that's exactly how I felt at the end of my bottle, I couldn't stand it anymore.
Do try Ecume, it is my favorite of the Rosines and a really nice summer scent. Most unfortunately, my bottle has not stood up well and I need to replace it soon.