Nina by Nina Ricci

Wow...how did I overlook Nina for such a long time? I was drawn to this fragrance because of the bottle, which is undeniably adorable, and then fell in love with the fresh sweetness of the apple-themed scent, itself.
Where to begin? Well, for starters, if you're a fan of sweet scents, but find many of them to be too cloying or headache-inducing (Pink Sugar, Angel, Flowerbomb - all of which I adore but find to be a bit too much at times), and you're looking for a fresher sort of sweet, please, find a tester of Nina and give it a try! Being a fan of the aforementioned fragrances, I passed Nina up several times, thinking it was probably TOO fresh, or too much like the apple-themed DKNY Be Delicious. I was wrong. Fans of Be Delicious may end up loving Nina, but this is a very different take on the scent of apples. Where Be Delicious has an obvious theme of green apple, Nina blends a sweet, yet crisp red apple into a heart of sugar. But this isn't an artificial-candy-confectioner's sort of sugar that smells of cake or baked goods; it's a rather natural smell that's bursting with fun, flirty tones. The lemon, lime, and red apple mingle so perfectly with the sweeter, woodier accords and the slight hint of delicate florals, that it's hard to say exactly what type of fragrance genre Nina falls into. The most obvious is fruity floral, which I suppose it is, but don't be surprised to find yourself taken aback by the maturity and straightforward attitude of Nina, in a genre so filled with naive and ditzy obliviousness. This is no LE Escada, unremarkable and soon forgotten; this is on par with Miss Dior Cherie - the only other fruity floral I own, these two being exceptions due to a seamless blending on the perfumer's part, and a happy tone that vibrates throughout the fragrance that is unforced and at once, beautiful and contagious. Alas, the staying power of Nina isn't fantastic, nor is the sillage; however I've found that the longevity is increased tenfold when sprayed on a scarf and in my hair, taking three hours' worth of wear to ten or more. Towards the end of the dry-down, Nina is muskier, with the florals coming through, and becoming more apparent than at any time prior in the scent's duration. At this point, Nina is still sweet and fresh, just a bit more romantic and less enthusiastic than she was upon her arrival. I'd also recommend purchasing the smaller rollerball from Sephora for touch-ups, as I've heard the apple-shaped bottle has a tendency to break easily when transported.
I adore French perfumes for their brave personalities and unique confidence. This has been one of the best-selling perfumes in France since its release a few years ago, and I can certainly see why. Though I adore rich and dramatic orientals, Nina lets me mingle with the fresher, fruitier side of the perfume pallete without feeling like a stranger who doesn't belong. She is a friend to both sides and she sings their praises beautifully and equally.

Notes:
Calabrese Lemon, Cipirinha Lime, Red Toffee Apple, Vanilla Infusion, Moonflower, Peony Petals, Apple Tree Wood, Cotton Musk.
Style:
Surprising. Feminine. Fantasy-inspired.