Amouage Lilac Love
I first tried Amouage Lilac Love as a decant from a friend and I ended up wearing it far more than I expected. After a few wears I realised I was reaching for it on days when I wanted something comforting and put together, so I finally bought a full bottle when I saw it being decluttered by a fellow fraghead.
The initial sniff of Lilac Love always has me confused, I can feel something milky or chocolatey for the first couple of minutes but before I can clearly decipher what it is I'm smelling it transforms into gently powdered flowers. I doubt this is what lilac really smells like, I'm sure this is more of a conceptual lilac interpretation.
Lilac Love is creamy, soft, powdery, sweet florals. The cocoa and vanilla are present underneath to render a certain warmth without turning it into something gourmand. There is a smooth cosmetic kind of powderiness like a well blended face powder which keeps the scent feeling clean and wearable. The dry down is soft florals with a musky, fluffy, slightly woody base.
On me, Lilac Love lasts a full workday and the projection is noticeable for the first couple of hours. It does not feel like a loud room filler unless you overspray, which I do not think it needs. I find it works best in air conditioning, evenings and during monsoon and winter when the humidity and warmth are not at their peak. On hot, humid afternoons it can feel a bit heavy and cosmetic. It suits days or occasions where you want something polished but not aggressive, and when you want a soft, elegant scent rather than something very loud.
For me, Lilac Love is a grown up powdery floral with a fluffy creamy sweetness without feeling too vintage or sugary.
The bottle has been changed to a darker colour by Amouage and it has been through reformulation. Mine is the earlier formulation.