Diesel, the youth-oriented Italian fashion house, is not a brand I have any particular affinity for, but I really liked their 2011 fragrance Loverdose. When I reviewed it, I said it was not the stuff of genius, but it was great fun, and we all know that great fun is scarce on mainstream perfume counters.
The new flanker, Loverdose Tattoo, promised to amp up the (supposedly already formidable) sex appeal of the original, but instead, they've done just what the rice steam accord in the notes1 implied they might do: they've turned it into a comfort scent. Fine by me, decent comfort scents are nearly as scarce as great fun.
I described Loverdose as sort of vaguely what you might get if you crossed Dior Hypnotic Poison with something hyper-fizzy (Jean Paul Gaultier Ma Dame? Ed Hardy Love & Luck?); Loverdose Tattoo takes the same basic elements and adds a dose of Kenzo Amour's rice pudding. So there's still indeterminate fruit (the cassis, presumably) and root beer, but the fizz is toned down, as is the licorice; what gets amped up is the creamy vanilla in the base and the cosmetic powder finish. But it's all soft and cushy, there's nothing loud, nothing overbearing, nothing that will drown you in sweetness.
Verdict: I like. The day my sample arrived, I was already testing three niche scents — nope, not naming names, but all three were from well known and respected brands, and all three cost exponentially more than what Diesel charges — and Loverdose Tattoo was almost comically better than the lot of them. As with the original, I don't love it (or need it) enough to buy unless I ran into a bottle at TJ Maxx for $14.99, but I'd certainly wear it if I had some, and hey, that bottle looks even better in black.
Diesel Loverdose Tattoo was developed by perfumers Anne Flipo and Pascal Gaurin. It is available in 30, 50 and 75 ml Eau de Parfum.
1. Notes for the woody floriental include bergamot, mandarin peel, cassis, rose, orange blossom, jasmine, rice steam accord, vanilla, tonka bean and benzoin.
I will try this. I remember thinking Loverdose would be better than it was but I can’t remember if I disliked it or if I was indifferent.
It’s worth a shot!
Oh interesting! Thanks for this review Robin–I wouldn’t have picked this out, having not cared much for the first one, but “fizz is toned down, as is the licorice” and “nothing that will drown you in sweetness” sounds like this version takes the edge off of the elements that weren’t so much my cup of tea. Will keep an eye out.
Do report back if you find it intolerably sweet. It’s funny, I think of myself as not liking too much sweetness, but am surprised by how often other people think something is so much sweeter than I do.
Ah I know just what you mean. This is where I wish I knew more about the science–I think that there must be some or another molecule in the “sweet” category to which I am anosmic, because I am pretty averse to sweet scents, but I do like a number of fragrances often described as sweet just because I can’t detect the sweetness at all! Thinking especially of Jeux de Peau and Chypre Rouge. They’re two of my favorites from Uncle Serge, but they wouldn’t be if I found them as sweet as they’re often described!
…well, now I definitely need to sniff Loverdose Tattoo, for science! 🙂
Or it may just be that some people can’t smell whatever is tempering the sweetness for me (and possibly you), right? It could work either way.
This sounds really nice and not too youthful. Thank you Robin. I would NEVER think of trying this without your review. I’m not a gourmand or sweet perfume lover either, and I wish there were more grown-up non-foody/sweet “comfort scents”. I’m not a bottle person either, but I’m liking that black heart!
It’s surprising how “not too youthful” it is, given the brand. Tell me what you think if you try it!
Great review, Robin!
I liked the original Loverdose, when I sniffed it…. not enough to buy it, but still liked it. It had a lot more personality, than I thought it would. It still paled to the beauty, that is the original Lolita Lempicka. However, the purple daggered heart bottle, is great fun.
That said, I will definitely sniff Loverdose Tattoo, when I see it. It seems Diesel is marketing the flanker, to a slightly older demographic. That black heart bottle, is a genius idea.
True that it isn’t Lolita Lempicka. In a way though, I do think it’s nice to get an updated version if it’s well done.
Very true…. and Loverdose was well-done.
When it comes to Lolita Lempicka-esque perfumes, Loverdose is one of the better ones. I find it much nicer, than La Petite Robe Noire…. that black cherry note can be extremely cloying, at times.
I have mixed feelings about Petite Robe…so agree!
“Fizzy” is one of my favorite effects, so now you’ve got me lemming the original Loverdose!
Curious then what your favorite fizzy fragrances are? The 2 I mentioned above don’t seem to have been overly popular 🙂
So, are we avoiding the obvious jokes about Loverdose Tattoo being a “skin scent?” 🙂
I also note that it’s an interesting cultural shift that a “tattoo” themed scent/advert is feminine rather than masculine. Clearly not designed for Navy and Marines!
Hahahahha zing!!
(By the way, amazing call on the Fico di Amalfi–I completely love it, I may have to have some too!)
LOL…just didn’t think of it, so hats off to you!