Hidden Saint For Women

Hidden Saint chases one of the great fresh-floral originals. It opens like iced cranberry tea - tart cranberry and a squeeze of lemon over a crisp green-tea-leaf accord, juicy but never sweet, exactly the refreshing, vibrant start that made Givenchy Ange ou Demon Le Secret so distinctive. The heart is clean and delicate: white peony and jasmine sambac drift over watery aquatic flowers, that semitransparent floral veil the original is praised for, though here it reads a touch simpler and less luminous. The drydown settles into soft patchouli and blond woods, a light, grounding finish. The original is already only a moderate performer, lasting four to six hours, and this dupe sits flatter and closer still, fading a little sooner. Best in spring and summer with some autumn wearability, it is an easy, elegant office and daily scent that carries gracefully to dates and light evenings - a recognisable, pretty budget impression of Le Secret, gentler in detail and reach.