Les Belles de Ricci : Amour d'Amandier / Almond Amour
Nina Ricci (1999)

A pale fruit bouquet with almonds, it's got the winning appeal of a pretty girl, but not the conversation that makes a perfume partner for life (if such a thing existed in the life of a Parfumista).

But what the heck, if you wanna have fun just go and get it.

I used to wear this in my early twenties, but when I finished my bottle off, I never restocked, because at 25, I had decided that I was already too old for it. In a hot, claustrophobic nightclub, it is certainly a breath of fresh air, but it definitely has too adorable a personality for everyday usage. It's a gin and tonic with a double shot of almond syrup, and it's LOUD. Goes best with glittery liquid eyeliner, taxi rides home that are so late they're early, and your smallest purse. There are some fragrances that I can admire without liking; unquestionably, this is one that I like without admiring.

Initially blasting its wearer with a gumbo of (eye-)watery pear, apple, something vaguely almond (but not the nut; the blossom perhaps?) and raspberry, this stinker rapidly descends into the fruity gourmand circle of hell frequented by precocious teenagers wearing too much Maybelline. Blech - a scrubber. My search for the perfect almond scent continues...

I'm in like, not in love with this one. What I like most isn't what's in: it's what the perfumers left out. There is no fake caramel-vanilla candy apple gourmand stuff going on here. I like those smells, but so many perfumes go to the exremes.OK, what does it smell like? Almond blossoms. There's a smell of almond extract, white flowers, and soft fruits. I bought it for springtime, since I love rich smells but wanted smoething light. I bought this without smelling it first, yet I'm quite pleased. It's practical and functional, especially for summer. Staying power is medium. Is it sensational? No. It's a workhorse, like black flats.