Symbol of Love

Symbol of Love opens with a dewy gardenia cut by a sharp green-sap note, the same fresh-but-not-pretty entry that keeps Jasmin Noir from being a simple white floral. The heart is the star: a rich sambac jasmine softened by a creamy, almost edible almond, giving that signature satiny floral the original is loved for. As it dries down, soft precious woods and tonka bean wrap around a whisper of liquorice and clean musk, settling into an intimate, slightly sweet woody base. Against the genuine Bvlgari it is less refined and less tenacious: the green note is thinner, the almond a touch more synthetic, and the woody dry-down loses some of the original's depth, projecting modestly and turning skin-close within a couple of hours. Still, the elegant, sensual jasmine-almond mood comes through faithfully. It trades the original's polish and staying power for budget accessibility, best in spring and cooler months for evenings, dates and dressier occasions.