Sweet Almond / Amande Sucre
Ava Luxe

I simultaneously received samples of Amande Sucre and Sinfonia di Note Amande Sucree from a kind BNer. The Ava Luxe blows the Sinfonia out of the water! I've began to realize that what Ava Luxe calls 'eau de parfum' concentration would probably be extrait by most houses. This is a simple sweet almond, bright and cheery with excellent sillage and longevity. It's not toothache sweet, nor is too mute or musky (as the Sinfonia is). Ava Luxe fragrances are of high quality, regardless of genre, but the gourmands seem to shine above and beyond the others. For a simple gourmand at a low price I don't think you can do much better - I also suggest you try Doll Face, another inexpensive but slightly more complex gourmand.

Starts off with a blast of amaretto and it reminds me of amaretto biscuits, we call them bitterkoekjes in dutch. It's lovely but it doesn't last long because it settles into a normal almond smell. It's lovely a bit sweet but it has lost the fabulous opening notes. I also got a short whiff of play doh note, the first time I smelled it in any fragrance. It doesn't last that long on me, the other ava luxe fragrances I have tried lasted longer. I think for an almond kick I prefer Jour de Fete from L' Artisan but this is a very nice and cheaper alternative.

This is, obviously, a sweet almond scent; like almond extract for marzipan, plus sugar cubes. I've been utterly craving Sinfonia di Note Amande Sucree for a couple of months, but, at this time, I cannot rationalize spending $150.00 on one bottle of fragrance. I had hoped Ava Luxe Amande Sucre would quiet my craving a bit. However, on my skin it develops a rancid note in the dry-down (apricot?), which ruins the whole concoction. I gave my bottle to a friend, on whom this same Amande Sucre smells completely delightful, and makes the $26.00 fragrance smell better than the $150.00 fragrance! I'm jealous.

Sweet almonds do not have their own scent so this one is an bitter almond scent which is sweetened by cream and sugar. smells like a bitter almond cake with cream topping. yummy.

Oooh, tasty. Almond, sugar, creme, marzipan-y goodness... (amaretto?) Yes, amaretto. This is at the top of my list of "comfort scents." I do, indeed, have a list. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.