“This one has been selling like crazy,” the dark blonde woman in the suit told me as she hoisted the gorgeous, silvery bottle of Narciso Rodriguez Essence Intense. “At the fragrance festival last week we sold six bottles in two hours at $110 a pop. It’s been doing so well that I wouldn’t be surprised if they add it to the regular line-up.”

I was at Nordstrom trolling the perfume area for something new to smell, and by chance I happened on the Beauté Prestige rep who handles Narciso Rodriguez as well as Annick Goutal, Hermès, and a few others. She sprayed a generous slick of Essence Intense on the back of my hand (my forearm was already occupied by Chanel Bois des Iles) and awaited my reaction. While the fragrance settled, I admired the fragrance’s heavy, wavy bottle, this one with a darkened stripe toward its bottom to set it apart from the regular Narciso Rodriguez Essence…

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