Thursday, November 03, 2011

Prada- Candy


I don't get it. Based on the notes (musk, vanilla, benzoin and caramel) and the rich gourmand vibe I was supposed to love Candy by Prada. Robin of NST and Victoria of Bois de Jasmin wrote very positive reviews and I know many in my fragonerd circles liked it enough to spring for a bottle. But I've gone through several samples and, as I said above, I just don't get it.

Yes, it's sweet and musky. It has some of the sweet and fuzzy characteristics I enjoy in comfort scents such as Kate Walsh Boyfriend (many thanks to JoeyBunny for putting her finger on the similarities) and Kenzo Amour. I even get that dulce de leche whiff from the caramel that makes me see why Victoria mentioned Uncle Serge's Un Bois Vanille, which I love dearly. It's all there, yet it doesn't come as well together on my skin until the very late dry-down, where the caramel-benzoin composition really reminds me of Un Bois Vanille with a fruity gummy bear twist. Until Candy reaches that point there's just some cheap sugared nothing with a side of a plastic doll and and/or scented ink in bright colors. And maybe vintage Strawberry Shortcake stickers (yes, I was a fourth grader in 1979). None of the above is bad, but it's really not how I prefer to smell.

I could probably write a thing or two about the difference between the smoky animalic vanilla of Shalimar and how sexy it was considered once upon a time; obviously, it is now replaced by this Lolita stuff. But I'll refrain because you've heard it all before.  The bottom line is that Prada Candy smells to me like an almost-perfume, and not necessarily a stellar one. On the right skin it can probably be the cutest guilty pleasure. I just don't do cute.

Prada Candy ($80, 1.7 oz EDP) is available at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Saks 5th Avenue.

Strawberry Shortcake in all her cute glory from strawberryshortcakelane.com

9 comments:

  1. I cannot smell anything sweet or caramel in that perfume. It's very weak. It's a smooth shy scent. I don't get why anyone would get excited about this one.

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  2. Interesting - I am firmly in the fans camp, and also love Denyse's description of Candy as "armour for the 40-something woman in a brutal world". (I may be paraphrasing slightly, but that was the gist.) It works a treat for the 50-something woman too, I'd venture to say! On me it is sweet, but not for long, and there is a darker edge that comes through which keeps this nicely on the cusp between fluffy and ever so slightly dangerous.

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  3. You nailed it. Call me crazy, but I actually preferred Burberry Body to Prada Candy. I know, the notes are totally different, but the quality of the Prada didn't strike me as complex or interesting. Thanks for the thoughtful review

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  4. I was astonished that I loved Candy. I would never have tried it given it's name but there was a sample in my NM GWP. I do not like sweet scents. I don't care for vanilla scents or anything smelling like candy. Actually I'm wearing a very candy smelling scent right now that is making me CRAZY. Bleck! BUT all that said, for some inexplicable reason, I love Prada Candy. Who knew ;-) LOL

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  5. I tried this, expecting great gourmand goodness, and like you, I got nothing. It was an OK, light amber accord that went Phhsst after about 10 minutes and disappeared. What's the big deal??
    -Marla

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  6. I don't get anything sweet out of this, either. And I like sweet! It was just kind of musky with something else thrown in there, totally nondescript on my skin. I would have much preferred smelling like a Strawberry Shortcake *doll* compared to this. And the marketing for Candy doesn't seem to fit the scent in my opinion. I decided to try this or Bottega Veneta on and clearly I chose the wrong perfume for me!

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  7. Thank you for this review, for saying you don't do cute, and for offering some more intriguing options.

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  8. I'm honored as always to be mentioned anywhere on The Non-Blonde! =)

    I really enjoyed Prada Candy, and was grateful for the lack of actual candy that I smelled in it. However, between the near-exactness of Candy to Boyfriend, and the ultra-tacky bottle, I don't think I'll be springing for a full bottle anytime soon. Maybe a decant! Ha.

    Have you heard much of the talk about how similar Prada Candy smells to Infusion d'Iris? I would be curious to know if you agree. I don't - I love Infusion d'Iris - but there is that amber-musk accord present in most if not all of the Prada scents.

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  9. I am so relived to see this post. It does dry down lovely and musky on me. But initially it is this weak, awkward sweet smell. Doesn't work at all.

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