Fragrance Friday: Valentino Valentina

I've been drying to try the latest fragrance from Valentino ever since I caught a glimpse of the gorgeous bottle a few months ago. Since then it's always slipped my mind to sample 'Valentina' every time I've been passing through a perfume hall, but this week I finally remembered and went over to have a look (and smell!)

There is no denying the packaging is stunning. It's ultra feminine, with something rather elegant about it (I think its the shape of the bottle neck?) while still managing to keep a hint of fun girlishness with the pretty flowers that adorn the front. I think these are made out of some kind of ceramic. From the pictures, I was expecting leather.

The scent itself is much like the bottle. Feminine and elegant, but nothing too 'out there' or wild. It's a 'floriental' as the fragrance buffs like to call it... a floral oriental that I adored upon first spray, despised after two minutes, and came to rather like once it finally settled into the skin after about twenty minutes. It's quite a nicely balanced fragrance, with notes of bergamot, white truffle, orange blossom, tuberose, jasmine, strawberry and quite a distinctive base of amber and cedar softened with a little vanilla.

Overall, it's a fragrance that I can't quite put my finger on. Part of me wants to love it, the other thinks it just isn't really 'me'. This is definitely more of a classically feminine, softly sophisticated scent and would make a great choice for those kind of people. I however, like to go for extremes... fruity, sweet, spicy etc. and somehow 'Valentina' is not quite extreme enough for my liking. I think this could be a good choice for my mum this Christmas though...

Valentina is available now, from £40 for 30ml Eau de Parfum. ( On a side note, the 30ml bottle actually only comes with two little flowers on the front, not three. A bit disappointing considering the price in my opinion!)

I'd love to know what you all think about the scent? Have you tried it yet?