If I were more susceptible to impulsive fragrance purchases at Ulta I'd most likely have a small bottle of Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude on my Lauder shelf. Maybe I really should get one, because I do like this perfume very much despite its flanker status (it's the third release in the Sensuous line, after the original and Sensuous Noir), and the fact that it's another light woody-powdery skin musk, friendly to all and completely unoriginal. The thing is that it's as well-made as they come, smells good and blends into the background for most of its wear so it's not distracting. Many of us could probably empty the 1 oz bottle just wearing it on days we can't make up our minds and nothing seems particularly appealing.
Sensuous Nude is a bit brighter at the top, alluring the wearer with an easy breezy beachy vibe of unsweetened coconut. It's what I wanted Jennifer Aniston's perfume to be (but it ended up a watered-down fake gardenia mess). There's very little fruitiness or a truly tropical atmosphere. Instead, we get a soft vanillic musk over a very light wood base (kind of like a sheered and pinked version of the original Sensuous).
As far as pretty musks go, Sensuous Nude could have easily been bottled and labeled as part of Tom Ford Private Blend musks (owned by Lauder), with a corresponding price tag. Which brings us to the bottom line: Sensuous Nude is a mass market/mainstream/department store perfume that was made to please noses everywhere without smelling cheap or lowbrow. That makes it at least worth a chance.
Notes: bergamot, mandarin, pink and black pepper, jasmine, muguet, coconut water, honey, musk, sandalwood, amber, heliotrope, vanilla and Melted Woods NaturePrint (seriously).
See other reviews of Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude on Now Smell This, EauMG, and Another Perfume Blog.
Estee Lauder Sensous Nude ($52, 1oz) is available at the counters, Ulta and esteelauder.com.
Images--
1. Harper’s Bazaar May 1954 - Evelyn Tripp photo by Lillian Bassman.
2. Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude 2011 perfume ad.
3. Still Life by Anna Pogossova.
Thanks for the review! I thought I was the only one who liked this flanker. In fact, I like it better than any of the other Sensuous perfumes. It has a relaxed, beachy feel.
ReplyDeleteI love the EL Sensuous series-haven't tried this one on yet. I might give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI think EL has a number (Pleasures excepted) of wonderful scents in their lineup and as a whole are under-rated.
The only reason I haven't bought this is because I'd rather have a bottle of Bronze Goddess, which I keep forgetting to purchase when I have the chance. But I feel like this is a way for Estee Lauder to get the Bronze Goddess effect in a bottle they can sell all year. (My very favorite from this trio is Sensuous Noir.)
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