Perfume of the month: Cartier La Panthére edp

Image result for cartier la panthere

Boy, oh boy what a perfume! This panther smells like a rich b@#ch for sure. Many of my friends who smelled this (including the one who brought me mine, thank you love!) puckered up their noses and cried out, “Whaaaat?!” The first whiff slaps you in the face with a strong dose of sour fruit, animalic musk, a seriously amped up gardenia and bergamot. You may not like this.

Top notes: rhubarb, dried fruits, strawberry, bergamot

Middle notes: gardenia, orange blossom, rose, ylang ylang

Base notes: musk, oakmoss, patchouli, leather

At first smells vintage, almost dated, something women in the 70s and 80s would have worn. Only a few minutes later does it start drying down and revealing its true character: a fruity chypre that envelops you in creamy musk and a strange “cleanliness” accord which makes it suitable for both office wear and special occasions. I have mentioned this in my Aura review that rhubarb notes makes my mouth water, for some reason, and La Panthére is no exception. There is something about the combination of notes here that translates as succulent for the first half  of the drydown, and I am so in love right now.

Image result for cartier la panthere

I find La Panthére quite mature, yet irresistibly sexy and oozing confidence.  I can see a woman in her thirties, wearing a blazer and a pencil skirt, classic black pumps… and a leopard pattern bra under her silk skirt. This perfume is not loud or in your face sexy like, for example, Shalimar or Narciso for Her: here, the sexiness is somewhat restrained,  coated with fruit and sugar as if trying to mislead you, pretend to be a good girl. But she isn’t. She’s a feline – fiercely independent, yet playful underneath. If anything, I wish it had a bit more sweetness to it, maybe a dash of vanilla or tonka bean. I will definitely try the edición soir as I have heard that one feels darker… Keep ’em coming, Cartier.

The sillage is frightening for the first twenty minutes or so my recommendation is, spray it well before leaving your house, or wherever you are. I get around eight hours of wear out of it, which is a great result for a contemporary perfume (excluding Mugler and Lancome, alright). It softens over time until you are left with a soft trace of musk and gardenia on your skin. Discreet, but still present.

Bottom line, I will get a lot of wear out of my Panthére during this upcoming autumn and winter, even though it performs surprisingly well in high temperatures. A must in any modern perfume wardrobe!

Image result for cartier la panthere

Disclaimer: Image 1 Sapphire Beauty. Image 2 Planet Parfum. Image 3 Now Smell This.

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