Seduction Spell

Seduction Spell is the most openly derivative fragrance in the range and also the most successful, because the template it borrows is a strong one. Pink pepper, apple, pear and lemon open it bright and crisp, the pear giving a juicy roundness and the lemon a quick lift that clears within minutes. Anyone familiar with the modern coffee gourmands will recognise the shape of the opening immediately. The heart is the thinnest section: heliotrope and freesia give a soft powdery floral bridge, but there is not much of it and the fragrance moves to its base faster than the note list suggests. That base is the whole point. Coffee arrives first, bitter and roasted, with vanilla sweetening it, patchouli adding an earthy grip, and sandalwood and cedar providing a dry woody frame underneath. It is a well-worn combination and the execution is competent rather than refined, with the coffee reading a little flat and synthetic next to the fragrances that made this style famous. Performance is limited by the 30 mL mini format: three to four hours, close to the skin after the first half hour. Wear it in autumn and winter, in the evening, and accept it for what it is. As a low-cost way to try this style before committing to an expensive bottle, it makes perfect sense.