Dolce is the latest from Dolce & Gabbana, and right away it settles itself into a distinct niche in the brand's perfume lineup. Instead of the witty, world-weary exchanges between Scarlett Johansson and Matthew McConaughey for The One or the steamy, Sophia Loren-ish Laetitia Casta pairing with Noah Mills for Pour Femme and Pour Homme or the watery, ooh la la encounter between David Gandy and Bianca Balti for Light Blue, we have model Kate King, all done up in virginal white, demurely accepting a sprig of orange blossom from a worker in the orange orchard.
Yes, we're in romance territory here, from the bottle cap, meant to look like a marzipan flower from a Sicilian confectioner, to the juice, a white floral blend centered on South African white amaryllis, captured via headspace technology and reportedly used here for the first time.
I liked Dolce right away: the opening is a soft but bright floral mix with a nice shot of orange-y citrus, ever-so-mildly green, fruity ("papaya blossom") but noticeably less fruity (and less sweet) than is the current fashion. But the romance was short-lived. I was expecting the white florals to deepen — I'm no dummy, I wasn't expecting Robert Piguet Fracas or anything, just, you know, some sort of floral activity. Instead, Dolce turns flat, literally within minutes. It smells like the vague remains of some vaguely floral soap you might have used an hour or so ago, mixed with what's left of the melon-y aquatic perfume you were trying to wash off in the first place. And then, not much happens: it just slowly fades to a pale musky finish.
Verdict: Don't misunderstand me, Dolce doesn't smell bad. It's pretty, pleasant and wearable. It has reasonable lasting power and relatively quiet sillage: if you need a new inoffensive, 'light & fresh' office-friendly floral, it could be a contender; if you love Light Blue and want to graduate into something with a more floral (and feminine) focus, it might be perfect. The few reviews on the department store websites so far are overwhelmingly positive.
But perfumistas, even perfumistas looking for an inoffensive, 'light & fresh' office-friendly floral, are not likely to be impressed; it's just too flat and too clean and too bland. If you love it, do comment and tell me how wrong I am!
The quick poll: recommend a perfumista-worthy inoffensive, 'light & fresh' office-friendly floral. My vote goes to Carven Le Parfum.
Dolce by Dolce & Gabbana is available in 30, 50 ($90) and 75 ($112) ml Eau de Parfum. The notes feature papaya blossom, neroli leaves, white amaryllis, daffodil, water lily, cashmeran and musk.
My vote for inoffensive, light & fresh office floral would be Eau d’Italie Magnolia Romana. Or Pleasures. Or Eclat d’Arpege (probably not perfumista-worthy, but I really like it). Or Ineke Balmy Days + Sundays. Or Tocca Bianca. Or Idylle, unless it’s too musky for this category.
As you can tell from how many of these come to mind, I actually like light, fresh florals and have tried a lot of them! Sometimes you just want something pretty and springlike that feels like wearing a white eyelet chemise in a Southern Italian garden. It sounds like this might be TOO light and flat and vague to work for that? Shame, it’s such a pretty bottle.
“Sometimes you just want something pretty and springlike that feels like wearing a white eyelet chemise in a Southern Italian garden.” — totally agree! Don’t think this lives up to that, but you should try it and see, maybe you’ll like it way better than I did.
I like Tocca Bianca too, even if that probably puts us in the perfumista minority!
Ok, will have to give that one another try at Sephora.
It’s just tea, sugar, lemon, and springy florals (supposedly rose, but it’s really just “an idea of floweriness” to my nose). Definitely zero perfumista cred, but it’s so light and refreshing and simply pretty. I like it when the weather is unbearably hot.
Yup was just going to say, it doesn’t exactly smell like high-quality ingredients, but still in the summer, it can be great. To me the issue is price-point–I like it well enough to actually use up a couple samples, but thinking of putting $70 (for 50ml) into a bottle that’s not so special, I balk. I mean, when one could have 30ml of En Passant for $100, it just makes no kinda sense.
…I’m just seeing now that Sephora’s doing a rollerball + lotion of a few of the Toccas for just $10–Dear Sephora, please add Bianca to this series! That would be just right, I think.
Thanks both! Not all of my fragrances have perfumista cred either.
Now that you mention it, my boss wears (what I’m pretty sure is) D&G Light Blue in the office, and I do enjoy it in passing. For my light floral vote, I wear Cartier Baiser Vole — EDP, one spray — more than anything else, and it’s enough to engage me throughout the day and I haven’t killed anybody yet.
Nice choice, and the BV EdT would work too.
(and ha — you THINK you haven’t killed anybody yet!)
My vote goes for the EDT – it’s one of my “go to” summer scents for work.
Another vote for Baiser Vole EDP… am dying to try the extrait but will require an hour ride to a decent mall. I’m waiting to accumulate enough mall errands to justify the effort (but may cave and just go do it, regardless ; )
My light, fresh and office-friendly choices (Osmanthe Yunnan, Prelude To Love, Mandragore Pourpre, Marni, Tam Dao EDT) tend not to be overtly floral.
A light floral that I absolutely adore is L’eau d’Hiver and it would probably fit the bill, although I never think to wear it for such occasions. Futur might work nicely, or Baiser Volé?
All good picks! And you reminded me of Marni Rose, which would also work.
I still haven’t managed to try it. I’m hoping to be passing through London next month and will try to swing by Harrods. It would be so much easier if they didn’t do the whole limited availability thing.
+1
And here I was thinking my loud self didn’t have anything to offer, but if L’ead d’Hiver counts, then I second it!
Oh, I think it definitely counts! I just need to get out of the mindset that it’s a bit special and start wearing it even when I’m doing the really mundane stuff. Last day of winter, for example, is as good an occasion as any, right?
Ooh, Baiser Vole is nice.
I wear Osmanthus Interdite. Recently, I tested both Acqua Universalis Forte (citrus white floral) and APOM by Francis Kurkdjian at the office and got good comments. Both were rounded and surprisingly tenacious.
OI is lovely, wish I had a bottle!
Would never have known but for this blog! It was in my list for ages and I found it at a shop half price – bargain!
Wow, nice score! I’d definitely own it if I found it at half off.
I was so tempted by the ad campaign and all but this sounds like a bit of a disappointment.
I am keeping my hopes up for the new Alien flanker in the “fresh” fragrance category!
Maybe you will love it though!
I want to try Alien Eau Extraordinaire too, although I really didn’t much love original Alien.
Same, I’m a sucker for these Dolce and Gabbana old-timey Italian ads!
Perfumista-worthy: Hiris
What I often default to wearing: Chloe or Love, Chloe. Both powdery florals and inoffensive (whatever that means…).
In the last swap I received a mini of Yves Rocher Rose Ablosue, which I adore for the office, but is sadly no longer in production.
I just love Rose Absolue! I think it’s too sweet and spicy and has too much presence for the “light n fresh,” but it’s just so wearable and lovely. I love anything Christine Nagel does with spices, pretty much.
Me three. Shame they discontinued it, one of the best things they ever made.
I guess, to me, it means “not challenging” and “easy to wear”? Something unlikely to bother the person in the next cubicle
No, I get this theory in concept, but I suspect I’m not alone among your readership when I say that sometimes the “fresh” scents bother me the most (perhaps because people spray on more, mistakenly thinking the scents smell “light” enough to pour on – I’m looking at you Light Blue!).
Take this all with a grain of salt, since the scent that feels “easiest” to me these days is Fleurs d’Oranger… And I’m fortunate enough to have a private office, so if I want to wear Coco, or something of the ilk, haters be darned! In my last position, I was in an open office and my coworkers love dB&BW lotions – talk about scents and sillage levels that should be outlawed…
Yes, totally agree about the BBW scents. Never surprised when they turn out to be the source of office lawsuits!
I know Infusion de Iris EDP is brought up repeatedly in this context, but it is still my favorite ‘work’ fragrance. This isn’t just because of its lightness, but also because I find the vetiver lends it a certain sharpness which helps me feel focussed and professional. At the same time I think the floral nuances soften it and round it off so that it is pleasant and soothing as well.
Plus, it smells great
I like Infusion d’Iris because the wearer can smell those nuances, but to passers by it is just a nice, soft, skin scent. As if you just have a gloriously pretty fabric softener.
My office scent for the past year has been Bas de Soie.
Ack, had a total brain freeze: took me several minutes to remember that’s the Serge Lutens!
I love light florals and often wear them at home or for other occasions, as well as at the office, especially in the spring and summer of course. Some of my favorites are Badgley Michka Fleurs de Nuit, the new Balmain Ivoire, Cartier Baiser Vole, Chloe Love, EL Pleasures, Guerlain Idylle, Lalique Perles, Marni, Prada Infusion d’Iris, and Stella. Clearly I don’t need any more perfumes of this type so I’m glad this new D&G does not sound too tempting! I am probably one of the only NST readers to like Light Blue (esp. layered with Lancôme O, strangely enough) but none of the other D&Gs have interested me, although I must admit I have not tried them all.
Hey, but maybe you’ll love it! Do give it a shot.
And so the new Balmain Ivoire is nice? I need to get a sample of that.
I think its great, very soothing somehow (sometimes I wear it to bed), but I admit I never wore the original so I am not bothered by comparisons. The soft and pretty fragrance never gets boring and lasts for a good long time in the office but I don’t think it would bother anyone (several compliments but no complaints so far). Best of all its available at a good price from the online discounters.
Thanks! I only vaguely remember the original myself — & never wore it.
Nice picks already. I’d add Stella, or several from Rosine (Lotus Rose, Rose d’Ete, Zeste de Rose). I should think No. 19 Poudré would work for this purpose. Diptyque Ofresia. Ineke Poet’s Jasmine. Chanel Gardenia. Ormonde Jayne Sampaquita. (Ha I am inadvertently revealing a weakness for quiet florals…)
Oh yes, Ofresia is perfect. Do Son, too — the world’s most office-friendly tuberose.
Wish they’d do Don Son in an EdP & make it a little less office friendly. (or they already have & I’ve forgotten!)
Meant to add–Robin I’ll be so interested to hear how you feel this compares to the Carven edt, got a super quick sniff from a tester and they did not seem to be lying about the “younger” angle… But I haven’t put it on skin, so, I should give it a fairer shot!
I have given it a VERY quick test on skin, and totally agree — much younger, & hey, it was young to begin with. Did not love the first trial run at all but will try it more before I review it, maybe next week.
Ah, glad it’s not just me! Well, thanks for taking one for the team–as Rappleyea says below, I definitely would like to read what you have to say about it, even if I’m not so eager to put it on myself!
My go to inoffensive office scent for spring is F.M. En Passant. Or Prada Infusion D’Iris. Or DelRae Mythique. Not impressed by Dolce either. Give me some Fracas instead
I love Fracas but I’m afraid I’d be sent home if I wore it to work!
Haha, I don`t wear Fracas at work either.
Oh, Mythique is another great choice, and I always forget about it.
Love Mythique!
Perversely, Robin, I seem to most enjoy your reviews of scents that I know I’ll never be interested in!
I work with one 20-something young guy who has terrible allergy and sinus problems and can’t smell anything! Lucky for me since my idea of a “light floral” is Nahema! No? How about SSS Citrus-Vetiver or Guerlain Terracotta Voile d’Ete?
You know how I love the old school, full-bore orientals!
How could I forget I Love Les Carottes? That one is super light on me, but fresh and pretty.
Its lucky those sinus and allergy problems are not triggered by the perfume, but rather make him insensible to it!
I’ve asked just to be safe and he said no. It’s great as far as my perfume, not so great when he’s been out looking at horses and is insensible to what he’s tracked in on his shoes!
Presumably better than having me spoil something you were looking forward to, right?
And what a perfect office mate!!
Agree w/ Carottes, great scent. I should wear it more often.
You can’t spoil anything for me – I just figure if you hate it, I’ll probably love it! Although we do overlap in a few areas.
Going to be surprised if you love this one though — but do tell me if you do!
Guerlain Terracotta Voile d’Ete? Yes, please. I’ve worn it to the office.
It’s a great skin scent, isnt’ it?
A favorite work scent of mine is Chanel no 5 Eau Premiere.
Another lovely choice!
I love that one when I feel like I might need my best polite-but-firm power plays.
I apply it at least an hour before work. People always walk by and say, “what smells so good?” I act ignorant. I don’t think we’re supposed to wear any fragrances to work.
Until someone actually says something to me, or I hear it through the work grapevine that I reek, I could care less if I’m office friendly or not. Ha!
I did see and try the new Dolce and although it is a lovely bottle (and the cap is done well too), the scent is not for me. I’ve yet to meet a light floral I can get into, but I wouldn’t turn down a mini version of Dolce just to have that sweet little bottle to look at.
On a separate note, I made it to the Diptyque sample sale yesterday (kind-a late) and was able to snag one 75ml of Philosykos at $50
They still had a ton of L’Ombre but very little on the candle front. Also, although I did not see any of these, there was Bryedo available for purchase. Thinking of trying to go again tomorrow, but much earlier as they do restock.
Cheers!
Woo hoo, nice deal! If you see some Byredo Pulp for $25, do pick me up a bottle
Hey Robin… Hm, this Dolce sounds like a miss unless I find myself locked inside a Macy’s overnight and in need of a fresh floral.
My vote for your poll would be Byredo La Tulipe, which I find really incredibly nice. I want to pick up a bottle of the lotion some day. There seem to be many worthy contenders in the category “perfumista-worthy inoffensive, ‘light & fresh’ office-friendly floral.”
“Locked inside a Macy’s overnight and in need of a fresh floral” — there’s a perfumista nightmare for you
Yes! Actually I think a decent portion of my collection qualifies, I keep thinking of more of them (Jour d’Hermes, Ormonde Jayne Osmanthus)
Locked inside Macys overnight *would* be bad! I would try to stay away from the fume section..perhaps I would find a nice clearance rack and Godiva chocolates to cuddle with, lol.
Some (but not all) of the Annick Goutals could fall into this category. I like Un Matin d’Orage for a gentle, office friendly fragrance.
Yes, and maybe Folavril too? Or maybe that one is too sharp.
I don’t really do light and inoffensive most of the time, lol…but perhaps a tea or osmanthus scent..or one of the AA scents from Guerlain would do. Osmanthus Yunnan I think would do well for the office.
I see someone picked OY already. What about a Bvlgari, like Voile or Pour Femme?
Pour Femme is so pretty! And seems to get little love these days.
Oh yes, tea! If we step away from the floral department, I have one other light, office friendly choice to offer–Bulgari Omnia. Never offended anyone with that one.
Keep meaning to try Lys Soleia, though I understand it’s one of the heftier AAs. Agree with many already mentioned, plus Balenciaga Paris.
I wear that to work, mostly in the summer. It’s not exactly soft but not intense or loud, either. It’s creamy and girly; once, I wore it on my birthday when I knew I was going to get a lot of hugs.
Lys Soleia is definitely worth a shot, and does have more heft than most recent AAs.
For the office I wear H’iris, Bottega Venetta, Chanel #19 Poudre,
Prada Infusion d’Iris, SL Clair de Musc.
Glad to see love for Hiris!
Light and office friendly is not my taste but the first thing I thought of was Jo Malone. Pick one. Practically any one would work.
Isn’t that the truth. It really is an entire line of easy to wear scents.
Yep!
I work at home, but my husband is very sensitive to heavy or even medium florals, so I know something about this! I enjoy Gucci Envy, Ineke’s After My Own Heart, Balenciaga Paris, Osmanthus Interdite, Chanel No. 19 Poudre, and SL Bas de Soie. Putting on just a little bit is so hard, though. I have more control over minis than FBs spray, but sometimes I just decant some into an old-fashioned glass bottle with a stopper. Does anyone think plastic roll-on tops affect the juice?
I just bought two roll on bottles with the plastic roller balls to fill with EL Bronze Goddess Dry Oil. I hope it works.
The Ineke line has lots of choices in this category, I think.
I decant small portions of my extraits into glass roller bottles – easier to apply limited amounts and easy to store in a lipstick holder tray. I’ve been doing this for years and have never noticed any problem. Hope this helps.
The only way I could be tempted to buy this is if the top was actually made of Marzipan.
For the poll, I like Bottega Venetta for an office scent, although I think it’s technically not a light floral. I think Angela called it a leathery floral chyprein her review? Anyway, I also like Serge Lutens Nuit de Cellophane and Jo Malone French Lime Blossom, if applied lightly or at least an hour before work. The opening can be too much.
This brings back lovely memories of my first job out of college when I innocently wore Gucci Rush to the office every day. I’m still surprised no one ever said anything.
Ha, that’s funny!
Initially, I thought you meant comparable mainstream scents and was going to recommend Balenciaga Rosabotanica, which is light and sparkly, not bad at all, and which I will buy for the bottle if I ever see a good discount.
My own office scents are Chanel 28 la Pausa and TDC Osmanthus. They both smell naturally great and unassailably correct at any time of the year, and are light enough that probably only I would detect them.
Great choices. Wish, for the millionth time, I had a bottle of 28 La Pausa.
Don’t know as if I would enjoy the scent (the headspace perfumes I have tried seem kind of digital and flat to me) but I do love that soft blue-greeny liquid (or is the bottle?) it does look so refreshing and very different from the onslaught of all the soft ‘pink’ perfumes and EDT’s released lately.
Maybe, though, this could be a winner during a hot hot summer’s day?
I am still looking for a nice soft ‘splash on’ refresher to use like 4711 or something like Jean Nate that used to be, but better quality than it is now that would be impossible to overdose on…….could this be better in a splash on bottle rather than in a spray?
Hmm, not to me…it’s bland and clean, but nothing like a citrus cologne.
Alvarez Gomez Agua de Colonia is a possibility.
I often wear L’Artisan l’ete en Douce when I “need” something light and fresh.
Hey, do they still make that?
Also, I know its not exactly a pure floral, but I think Clarins Eau Ressourcante would be easy wear. Smells like one just came out of some natural spa!
You know, I’ve never tried that one.
Basil, iris and cedar wood:) Low key and soothing, but I find its longevity quite impressive and that it actually does have some projection on me. It really is ironic since I just spritzed on some Amouage Gold from my sample and actually have to stick my nose on my wrist in order to smell this reputed monster.
Seriously? You *must* be anosmic to something in it, that thing is not weak.
This morning I could smell it strongly where I had sprayed my sleeve (but not where I had tried it on skin). I’m not constantly anosmic but I think my ability to smell comes and goes and is easily overtaxed. I think this is even more the case when it comes to heavy aldehydes, iso E super, etc…
Totally agree. This was my review posted on MUA:
“Unfortunately this is the most generic scent they released in quite a while. Hmm…actually come to think of it, this is their most generic scent ever. I usually like D&G’s releases, I think in general they do much better than a lot of other designer brands, as far as both the scents and the packaging which is usually heavy and nice.
But this one is….a bunch of nothing. Some dull, non-descript florals and a light musky base and that’s about it. There’s a slightly aquatic vibe to it too, most likely from the water lily. It starts out rather sharp in the first seconds, and fresh (there’s some greenery to the opening) and then calms down and dries to what I’ve described above. It’s not as fresh as the opening, but not sweet either.
It’s one of those inoffensive daytime scents that doesn’t necessarily smell bad, it just smells like dozens of other fragrances out there. Could easily pass for a deodorant or body spray type of smell. It just has no personality. Hoping that the upcoming flankers will be better (I assume there will be a winter flanker, so maybe that one will have more substance to it.) Remember the ‘infamous’ D&G Anthology series? Those were BETTER than this. (I actually still own/like/wear 3 scents from that collection and compared to this, they are masterpieces.) Sorry D&G, I really wanted to like it.”
And to answer your poll, off the top of my head, I’d say the new Elie Saab L’Eau Couture, since it’s a new release and all. I’d probably pick some others too, but too tired to think and since we’re talking the new Elie Saab, here’s my brief review also posted on MUA, alongside Dolce by D&G (since I tried both on the same day etc):
Elie Saab L’Eau Couture: “This is probably what Dolce wanted to be. It’s lovely to my nose, it starts out green (like fresh flower stems kind of green) and a touch of orange blossom, slightly reminiscent of the original. Dries down to a creamy mix of orange blossom & green almond with a subtle sweetness to it. It’s soft and wearable, never sharp. The almond in it is not the ‘gourmand’ type of almond, it’s got that green vibe to it, but it still gives the scent a subtle nutty-ness. Some people detect more vanilla and a sweeter dry down. I don’t.
It’s not a breakthrough scent, but I think that it’s really well done for what it is: a lovely, light, easy to wear spring scent that manages not to be generic and the green almond gives it a bit of an unusual vibe. The original EDP remains the best version, IMO. Followed by Intense and L’Eau. Didn’t care for EDT. I also find the EDP and L’Eau different enough to own both.”
Sorry for the humongously long post ! LOL
I’ve only sniffed the sprayer of ES L’Eau Couture but I liked what I smelled. Thanks for your review, I’ll give it a proper spritz on the weekend if I get a chance. But for me it would have to work hard to beat the original Elie Saab EDP, which I really enjoy. I wore it today. Delicious!
Thanks for the detailed reviews! Yes, will be interesting to see what they do for a flanker.
Did you also review the Intense? My local Nordstrom didn’t get it, and I really want to try it.
A kind perfume penpal sent me a generous sample of Hermes’ Rose Ikebana and I like it a lot more than I expected to, not being a big fan of either rose or tea notes usually. It is a perfect office scent, and not too dull. But the price! Ouch. Even admitting that simple and pretty can be hard to do well, it’s hard to justify Rose Ikebana. Oh well, plenty of other choices out there.
I have the 15 ml — actually, I think I drained one and I’m on my 2nd, but that might be Vetiver Tonka, can’t remember. It’s sort of close to the old YSL one, I think In Love Again? But less sweet. Also by JCE.
Yes, people often compare Rose Ikebana with In Love Again, but I never smelled it. I’m on the lookout for a 15 ml bottle of Rose Ikebana, but while I wait for a good price I’l try some other – cheaper – light roses.
I bought Gucci by Gucci for just this purpose. The fruity opening is a little big, but that’s gone by the time I get to the bus stop. It’s quiet (by my standards, anyway), but it lasts.
Kelly Caleche might also work. The aquatic note gets on my nerves after a couple of hours, but overall it’s really pretty.
Just tried Shamilar Initial L’eau and I hereby nominate it for this purpose. Pounds gavel.
Not a fan of the cutesy bottle. Looks like it’s a Marc Jacobs wannabe.
Brilliant! Read aloud to husband bit about wanting some floral activity. Loved it. Funny
Perfumista-worthy inoffensive, ‘light & fresh’ office-friendly floral:
Prada Infusion D’Iris
Stella McCartney Stella and L.I.L.Y.
Estee Lauder Pleasures
Virtually any modern perfume from Balenciaga