Ylang in Gold by Micallef is the perfect fragrance for a miserable winter day. It transports you to a sort-of a tropical fantasy: sunny, golden, warm sand between your toes, and flowers in your hair. There are no pink drinks or beach smell, just the light of a late afternoon descending on your private island.
Micallef's Ylang In Gold is obviously here to showcase ylang-ylang and remind us what it can do when not upstaged by other ("prettier"?) flower notes such as jasmine and rose that often accompany ylang in perfume. Perfumer and designer Martine Micallef takes full advantage of the smooth and creamy characteristics of ylang-ylang and runs with it into the sunlight. Ylang loves sandalwood, which in turn loves coconut and vanilla. While the fragrance is far from syrupy sweet it does offer a certain thickness (Angela called it "custardy" in her NST review).
Last week I reviewed the somewhat low-rent Giselle by Carla Fracci. Giselle also features a lot of ylang-ylang over coconut and vanilla, though it does so in a louder, more floral atmosphere. I like Giselle a lot, but wearing the opulent Micallef creation makes me smell its faults more clearly. Ylang In Gold is better cut, expensively spun and generally smells like a million dollar, which it should. The fragrance comes in a high glam super bejeweled bottle, it's within the boundaries of good taste but only just so. It definitely stands out on the shelf even among Micallef's other statement bottles. There's a second version of the juice that includes fine gold powder that's supposed to leave a gold shimmer on the skin. That's a bit too Hello Kitty for my personal taste, but since it's also offered as a clear liquid (which is the one I tested for this review) I can't complain and should go back to enjoy my sweet island dream.
Notes: tangerine, geranium, sage, rosemary, artemisia, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, lily of the valley, magnolia, mint, coconut, vanilla, musk, moss.
M.Micallef- Ylang In Gold ($245, 100ml EDP) is available from Luckyscent and Osswald. A press sample was provided by the company's PR.
Art: Golden Beauty by Henry Asencio.
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