Laguna
Salvador Dali (1991)

(Review of a mid 1990s bottle)

Bizarre. But then Salvador Dali was always a bit out there - well, the brand and the painter. Mark Buxton too. Every single note able to be picked up across the lifespan of the perfume is present in the opening. Lemons accent briefly, but the plum and tree fruit and the muguet are most immediately noticeable. The plum is watery and fleshy, the latter description only amplified by the very thick, unctuous, and heady muguet, and the tree fruit is soft and yellow. This overlaps very easily and conveniently with a jammy red rose, and the vanilla already playing up from the base. A good dose of animalic musks and starchy, cool orris slowly but determinedly make their appearances.

This perfume has mass and density - its own gravitational field. It feels like an orb that hovers just over my skin, and, by getting close to it, it starts to gently but surely pull me in. It does feel planetary, a cool surface undulating from a molten core. The planet’s layers slowly peel back to reveal the amber core of those animalic musks, a vanillic and resinous and sticky benzoin, and beautifully creamy and dense sandalwood.

To call Laguna beautiful is probably improper. It certainly smells good, but its character seems to have no interest in beauty except for, perhaps, the dry down and final skin scent with that heartbreaking sandalwood. Captivating is a much better word. It easily holds my attention without fail every time a wear it, every sniff making the gears in my brain turn as I approach with curiosity and questions. Excellent work.

Somehow cool and warm at the same time - a light cool breeze on a sunny day.
At application, I'm reminded of an inflatable pool toy; instantly bringing carefree youth and fun to mind.
As it dries down on my skin, I detect some saltiness along with the scents of sunbathing on the sand.
Overall, a whiff of a sweet summer memory, and it's impossible not to smile. This is a charmer.

This is an interesting one - during its fruity/fresh/lemony/pineapply start I almost love it, and the ambery/marine vibes do not bother me yet, they make this scent more interesting and substantial. Sadly, the longer it stays on my skin, the more overwhelmingly marine it becomes, and then of course it starts to cloy me like so many aquatics do - but I must admit it cloys me less than its sister scent Laguna Maravilla which is even more salty-aquatic. In the deep drydown Laguna's aquatic vibes are tamed somewhat and it gets more ambery, but the damage is done by then. I want to love this as I really enjoy the opening and the quirky bottle, but I can't - on a wrong day it can definitely make me feel nauseous in no time. However, it is a really unique and interesting scent, and lasting power is also great - as is the price. If you want an oddball unisex fruity marine, I definitely recommend.

I kind of do not know how to rate it. Objectively judging on sheer originality, interestingness and quirkiness it's definitely a thumbs up. For the price it's a total gem, too. Subjectively judging on my bodily reactions to the aquatic parts of it and therefore on wearability (strictly for me) it's definitely a thumbs down. I'll round it up to neutral although my feelings for it are anything but that. What is it for you? Do find out.

This is just plain fun! A sheer, fruity scent. Very tropical with the pineapple and coconut notes. Of course, there is more fruit in this punchbowl. Well mixed, as if thrown in a blender. The top notes last awhile. Iris, jasmine, muguet, and rosewood in the middle are a breezy, floral mix. The top and middle settle down with the base resembling something akin to a suntan lotion accord. I'm picky with fruity style scents. This one, I would purchase again. Cheap, too!

The scent very much matches the bottle. Mild, transparent, and expressionless. Laguna is a hodge-podge of genres that smells like none, some, or all, depending on the day. It's a fruity, salty, semi-oriental fragrance on a big dose of lithium/thorazine/whatever mood-stabilizing drug. It's certainly polite, inoffensive, and frankly pretty original too… it's just ultra-subdued. Truly a challenge to identify individual notes (though I'm no expert).

The Dali house made some real bangers during the 80's & early 90's that exude originality and project their scent like the dickens. I'd argue that this is included in that category, it's just heavily sedated. When you consider price, this is a thumbs-up all day.

On a side note, the gold sprayer as viewed through the semi-transparent blue/green glass, to me looks like a nose with boogers in it. Laguna is so medicated it can't even blow its own nose.

Very odd but charming scent. I'm not really sure what to say about it. Have you ever combined standard flavor bubble gum with mint and cinnamon gum as a kid and just hoped it would be some revelation? Laguna is the spirit of that alternate reality where that scenario comes out favorable (as never happens in our world). Despite being quite weak it manages to cram an almost impossible number of stimuli into such a small space, as though every dab or spray is a microcosm of other scents going on. It's sweet, bitter, tropical, spiced, saline, and who knows what else. You won't think too much of Laguna unless you draw very close, and then - you're in for something.