Empress For Women

Empress chases the bright, fruity-fresh signature of Dolce & Gabbana's L'Imperatrice 3 - one of the most recognisable watermelon scents in mainstream perfumery. It bursts open with a juicy, sweet-and-slightly-sour accord of watermelon, kiwi and tart rhubarb, lifted by a fizz of pink pepper. The heart keeps things airy with watery cyclamen and a soft jasmine, never tipping into heavy floral territory. A clean base of musk, light sandalwood and a citrusy lemon-tree facet rounds it off. Against the original it does a faithful job of the recognisable shape and the uplifting, flirtatious mood, but like most budget renditions it reads a shade thinner and more transparent, the fruit a touch more synthetic and the whole thing settling closer to the skin sooner. Longevity is moderate, as it is on the D&G itself, so you are not losing much there. What you get is a playful, easygoing fruity-aquatic for warm days - the spirit of L'Imperatrice for a fraction of the cost. Made for spring and summer, casual outings and laid-back dates.