No.090 Valentina

No.090 is Eden's take on Valentino's Valentina, and the brand's own description leans directly on the original's reputation as a fresh floral-fruity oriental full of contradictions - delicate and strong, elegant and playful all at once. It opens with bergamot and a hint of white truffle, moving through Amalfi orange blossom, sweet jasmine, tuberose and wild strawberry in the heart, before settling on cedar, vanilla and amber. Eden describes the effect as smelling a little like a flowery marshmallow, which is a fair summary of the original's soft, powdery-sweet character too. Where this dupe diverges is in texture - Valentino's Valentina has a distinctive truffle-tinged earthiness in the opening that gives it depth and a slightly unusual edge, and that facet comes through only faintly here, with the composition leaning more straightforwardly sweet and floral throughout. The tuberose-jasmine heart is present but less layered than the original's more textured white-flower accord. Longevity is moderate, suited to spring and summer wear rather than the original's fuller, more persistent sillage. For anyone who loves Valentina's playful, feminine sweetness and wants an easy, affordable everyday version, this captures the mood well.