Nanette by Nanette Lepore

Elizabeth Arden, the owner of Nanette Lepore's perfume license, clearly didn't put much effort into naming the 2009 release from the brand. Not a good sign, considering the original Nanette Lepore by Nanette Lepore (I'm getting annoyed typing the name) was a boring fruity floral and only marginally better than its follow up Shanghai Butterfly with its barfalicious apple note. But Nanette actually deserves better.

While not an innovative creation, Nanette is a very pleasing floriental that doesn't insult the intelligence and nostrils. It was part of the pink pepper epidemic, but I'll take this ubiquity instead of most super clean and fresh top notes. At least pink pepper smells alive and semi real. It is followed by mostly synthetic floral notes. They say it's rose, violet and muguet, but they lack the vibrancy of real flowers. It's pleasant, though, and while I smell berries and maybe nectarine (not listed, but most certainly there), Nanette is not sticky, sickly or overly sweet. It actually moves and develops on my skin in an unexpected way. There's a lavender-vanilla accord somewhere in the drydown, a hint of powder and a sweet amber-incense base. It's not sophisticated but an easygoing and friendly perfume has its place.

I can't say that I'm moved to buy a full bottle, but I wouldn't feel miserable to be stuck in an elevator with a Nanette fan.

Nanette by Nanette Lepore ($68, 1.7oz) is available from most department stores as well as from Sephora. Most retailers have samples on hand.