Fleur de Corail
Lolita Lempicka (2008)

I didn't get much citrus opening with Coral Flower. It started almost directly with frangipani and amber. I didn't manage to relate the fragrance with sea like other reviewers do. But if sniff closer, I was able to detect a slight salty note. There is also a smoky texture that reminds me of Lush Lust and Annick Goutal Songes, which I assume is a particular interpretation of white flowers, and unfortunately is not my favourite way.

Overall it's a warm fragrance to my nose. I'd prefer wearing in spring and autumn, though it'd be a interesting choice in a summer evening or even in the day for oriental fans. The sillage for the first hours is relatively strong, but after 3 or 4 hours it becomes close to skin while remaining a certain intensity. The longevity is 7h at least. Though not really my cup of tea, it's still a fragrance of quality.

I inherited a (very cute) bottle of this from a perfume friend who was really into tobacco/tonka scents, so that's what I smell as the heart of Coral Flower. I smell dry tobacco leaves spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, with the sweet, musky paper bag smell of tonka, with just a hint of gasoline. All of this is then wrapped in marshmallow fluff, but fuzzy and comforting, like a warm cashmere blanket.

All together, it's youthful but dirty, kind of like a Japanese anime girl whose childish playfulness is sexualized. The musk is unapologetic, but the sweet elements and the fuzzy warmth are fun, and somehow the combination doesn't come across as contradictory, but perfectly natural together.

Personally speaking, I don't like tonka musks very much, so I'm voting neutral, but I think this is an extremely well thought out perfume, so I can understand the following it has.

Fleur de Corail is a delightful milky-tropical floral scent. It is very straightforward and remains much the same from top to bottom, minus a little of the citrus as things move along. It smells vaguely of peach, banana, pineapple, ylang, and honeysuckle without actually (on paper) containing any of them. A fantastic use of the multifaceted frangipani, and a pleasantly understated release from the house of Lempicka.

Initially I thought that Coral Flower was a less salty, more powdery vanilla than L de Lolita Lempicka. However, the more I smell this fragrance, the less convinced am I that it's vanilla that I'm smelling. Occasionally it smells like coconut milk and frangipani blooms.

It's quite tropical and beachy, possibly the most Summer appropriate scent from the house of Lolita Lempicka. The opening is lovely, a deliciously exotic blend of sugary lemon, vanilla orchid and frangipani.

In the heart the tropical aspect becomes stronger and more apparent, perhaps a little too synthetic at times as it did make me cringe. But give it some time, and eventually it smooths out into a powdery and delicate vanilla and coconut blend.

It has a somewhat calamine lotion type smell, which reminds me of Guerlain's Shalimar. This is further highlighted by the rich ambery-ness in the base.

Coral Flower is very likable. Even my mother who detests sweet scents often loved by the younger consumers, adored this. It's a nice change from those fruity florals and citrus aromatics which are often suggested for Summer.

The bottle's cuteness lifts my spirits. It is not a "white noise" floral, but instead a sweetly warm floral grounded by a just-right amber quality. It sits close to my skin and almost smells like my hands after I cut wildflowers.

The sillage seems fair, and the drydown seems subtle but long-lasting. It might be a spring day scent when I don't want something overpowering.

I wore this fragrance a lot in the summer because it has a freshness to it. It is very strong, 1-2 sprays is more than enough. After a while it got too much for me and I had to stop wearing it for a while, although I did come back to it sometimes. I think I have some type of love-hate relationship with it... I can't quite leave it alone but I can't truly love it either. Its weakness to me is a noticeable synthetic smell.... I would have liked for "coral flower" to smell less chemical and more floral, light ... Overall, it is a pleasant scent though and as long as you use it sparingly, the synthetic quality won't be overbearing.