Vera Wang has expanded into a lifestyle brand, selling everything from jewelry to sunglasses to shoes, but she is still best known for the bridal gowns that launched her eponymous fashion business in 1990. Truly Pink is her fifth and latest fragrance, debuting 5 years after her initial effort, Vera Wang for women. The notes include white freesia, cassis, lychee blossom, peony, pink rose accord, creamy woods, iris and violet wood.
You would expect a perfume from a bridal designer to be unabashedly romantic and perhaps a bit conservative, and that is exactly what you'll get with Truly Pink. The top notes are vibrant and modern, with bright citrus and sweet (but not quite candied) fruit; the vibrancy fades, for the most part, with the top notes, leaving a very soft, very pink floral centered around rose. The base is creamy and pale and clean, and the iris lends a velvety finish that doesn't quite go to powder.
It is not quite fussy, but it has none of the casual, laid back feel of Stella McCartney's Stella — this is a pink fragrance in every possible sense of the word. It is resolutely pretty, and certainly more pretty than sexy; there is nothing in the least earthy or over-ripe about these roses. It has a younger and perhaps less sophisticated character than the original Vera Wang signature fragrance, still, it is not a modern department store perfume for 'tweens, having none of the requisite sugared tropical fruits in the top or flowers blurred to anonymity in the heart. It just is what it is: a very pink, very wearable, very romantic perfume for the blushing spring bride.
Truly Pink is an Eau de Parfum, and will be sold in 50 (exclusive to Sephora) and 100 ml bottles. Look for matching body products later in the year. If you're so inclined, at the moment FTD is selling a Vera Wang Truly Pink set, with 12 pink roses in "an exclusive box designed by Vera Wang" and a miniature (4 ml) bottle of the Eau de Parfum, for $70.
I am scared of it 🙂 There are some terrifying notes there…:-) But I am not a blushing spring bride, so that's fine 🙂
I thought that it was a nice, no-fuss rose. Pretty and pink, just like one might expect.
To me this falls in that “decent” category — pretty and pink, nicer than I expected but not “me.” I did kind of like Veil … the original VW smells BAD on me, though.
It is so soft — it wouldn't hurt a fly. Actually, I was rather disappointed that the vibrancy didn't last past the top notes.
Yep.
It isn't me either, M, and nor is the original, although I can see the appeal, I guess. I need to try Sheer Veil again, actually, not sure I've ever put it on skin.
This one sounds like it would be nice for spring. I like the original although it's a bit on the conservative side even for me. I need to try sheer veil again too – I only sampled it on paper. Truly Pink certainly sounds better than that ghastly Princess fragrance she released!
Princess has an obvious appeal for a 'tween girl, but have to agree that it is for the most part ghastly. On the other hand, no more so than many celebrity fragrances geared towards a much older audience…
TP is a much more grown-up scent, though less conservative than the original VW. I'm not dying to own it, but I'd wear it, and can't say that of Princess.
I'm too old and way past my blushing bride days to wear something like this. Oh well…
LOL — those days are long gone for me too 😉
R, to your opening paragraph, I must add, along with sunglasses, jewelry, and shoes – Matresses. Let us not forget that Vera Wang, in her infinite wisdom, has decided to put her name on a matress. I see the commercial and I can't keep a straight face.
What did we do to deserve the Vera Wang Mattress, I ask you.
Seriously? I did not know there was such a thing as a designer mattress, much less a Vera Wang mattress. I assume it costs extra 😉
Sad but true.
And oh the places one could go with this, but for the sake of taste, I will restrain myself from commenting further on Vera Wang and her mattresses.
I mean, its just too easy. Weddings. Matresses.
I thank you for exercising restraint, LOL!
R, that is so funny — I keep COMPLETELY FORGETTING that VW did Princess! I think I have a mental block because it's so wrong.
Yes, and its also fittingly enough the only one of the VWs in a different bottle shape, so that helps with the mental block 🙂
This is veering a little away from “Truly Pink” but I need a scent-support-system: I'm incredibly grateful for Macy's return policy.
White florals have always been outrageously awful on me; entirely acrid and metallic. Stephanotis and lily are enough to keep my lungs in suspended anxiety. In a moment of madness, I somehow convinced myself that “Sheer Veil” would wear well on me—“fresh and clean”, I assured myself. An hour later, I am swimming in dishwater ($90 worth of dishwater), with a scent story reminding me of a cemetery in wintertime; eternally quiet and devoid of any obvious life. As morally conflicted as I am about returning scent, “sheer veil” has to go back for me. Nomatter how Vera Wang tries to warm up her scents, they either become too dry (Truly Pink) or too weird (Princess)…at least, for my tastes.
You know, I didn't know Macys would take back a scent just because you didn't like it — or if I knew I'd forgotten. I know Nordstrom will. Its sort of astounding, if you think about it, since they can't resell the product. But, in so far as they are willing to take things back, I don't see why you should be morally conflicted — after all, they probably sell more fragrance that way.
I was amazed as well, but I figured it was worth a try. I mentioned that it turned on me and they offered a refund. They should've known that the “Sheer Veil” I sprayed on the scarf I wore wrapped up to my chin, left a line of tiny welt-like bumps along its path. I spoke with the same woman I had bought it from the day before, so perhaps she looked at my face and took pity on me? I did feel guilty, though. I'd feel like a heel if it ever became a habit—I just couldn't even have the scent in my rooms and I personally can't think of anyone I know who would've worn it. I think I may be allergic to/irritated by a common note in many white floral fragrances; they just explode on my skin in a putrid way. Next time, I'll trust my intuition. However, “Sheer Veil” was lovely on the card, so I don't want to discourage any white floral lovers!
Well, then I'm so glad they took it back. Now I'm wondering how many of my perfumes would give me a rash if I got them near my face — interesting!
This fragrance will be the next FiFi aword winner for Vera Wang. I hope. I can't wait to sell this amazing fragrance in my fragrance store.
Actually I got it a few weeks ago but have been so busy getting ready for my big move end of April haven't had a chance til now to write a review. Anyway I am delighted with Truly Pink-it has a light but lush fragrance about it that is great for daywear as well as night.
Having now gotten all of Vera Wang's perfumes I can tell you my favorites in order:
1. Princess
2. Truly Pink
3. Vera Wang
4. Sheer Veil
They all are very nice scents, I recommend them all.
On a different note I have been thinking how perfume bottles today are so plain. Very few distributors bother to put any fancy or unique touches to bottlemaking as it once was common many years ago. I wish perfume makers would put more effort into making a bottle as lovely as the fragrance inside it. A woman loves looking at her vanity table and seeing a lovely bottle. These thoughts have crossed my mind as I have recently begun collecting vintage perfume bottles and I have a book on perfume bottles. The ones of the past are so stylish and beautiful they enhance the product they carry. Maybe you should do a post on this subject with your thoughts-would love to hear them.
Jenny
Congrats on your new bottle!
I like pretty bottles too, but can't agree nobody is making them — I see tons! Vera Wang's isn't too interesting, but after all, what she is doing is no different than what Chanel did: use the same bottle to increase brand identification.
Oh I didn't mean nobody is making unique bottles-I just meant a lot of distributors don't have much imagination. Some still do of course and some like Vera Wang and Chanel have signature ones. Also I notice celebrity endorsed perfumes have interesting bottles. But it would be nice if more perfume makers, for example Christian Dior or Ralph Lauren were more imaginative in their bottle designs.
When I get a second I will email you photos of my bottle collection. Feel free to post them here and show them on the site if you like.
Jenny
Gave my Mom who is in later 70’s a birthday gift pak of Truly Pink. She likes it alot. Uses it for special outings with friends. She is not a perfume collector but is willing to experiment. She herself comments on ‘old lady’ perfumes. I think that she means ones that are powerful enough for old ladies (and old men) to smell with their diminished olfactory sense. If the perfume ‘slams into her nose’ she won’t even try it.
So glad she loves her gift!