Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Prada Candy (aka Prada Infusion de Benjoin)

Yes, I’m alive. I’m peeking out of my hot, steamy corner here in The South because I finally wore something I’ve been looking forward to for months: Prada Candy.

Sometimes I wonder about myself. I mean, why, exactly was I looking forward to Prada Candy so much? Within the perfume realm I’m an eternal optimist. No matter how many times I’ve been burned, I seem to keep a positive attitude and remain hopeful about new releases. Prada Candy is my latest burn.

Prada’s ad copy led me in the wrong direction. Neiman Marcus tells us this about Prada Candy:
Prada Candy, the new feminine fragrance of Prada enriches the Prada brand's fragrance universe with another vision: colorful, pop and explosive.

“Prada Candy incarnates the new Prada woman: she's daring, sensual, full of life and implosive.

The perfume is named after this seductive and joyful girl who is running wild.

Top:
Seductive notes: Joyful and Carefree—Explosion of caramel

Middle:
Powdery notes: Sophistication—Cocktail of musks

Base:
Vanilla notes: Sensuality—Benjoin overdose”

I mean, they told me Candy was to be an “Overdose of Benjoin.” They said “Explosion of caramel.” I was thinking Candy would be similar to something like Thierry Mugler Angel and Dior Addict. I was thinking Candy would be a Big with a capital B oriental gourmand.

And what exactly IS Prada Candy? I find it to be very similar to their Infusion series fragrances; such as Infusion d’Iris, Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger, Infusion de Tubereuse. It’s as if Prada made another “Infusion” scent but decided to call it Candy and put it in different packaging when it should have been named “Infusion de Benjoin.”

Candy is a light, airy, one dimensional fragrance. It’s a skin scent and most definitely not a big overdose of anything. Candy is a pleasant and like-ably sheer benjoin fragrance. It starts off with a nice dollop of caramel but after about 20 minutes dries down to a simple sheer benjoin.

Candy is nice enough, bit it ain’t no overdose of anything.

7 comments:

Brian said...

Sad. Like you I'm eternally hopeful. I liked the early pictures I saw of the bottle, and the box seems like a cool throwback to fifties design. But when I found out Candy was done by the same perfumer to have done the Infusions, my expectations were instantly dropped. I've found those fragrances to be some of the most depressing releases in the past several years, and for some reason, the sight of a new one, the latest, always makes me angry. Not disappointed, but sort of pissed off. Maybe because, after releasing the first, which to me was weak and thin and a waste of space and money, they released even more on the same model, without what I felt were necessary improvements or adjustments.

Abigail said...

Hey Brian,
I completely agree. And what's even more annoying is that Infusion d'Iris won awards and is considered amazing by many.
To me, the Infusions are the absolute blandest scents out there. I suppose I could have worn them during this awfully hot summer in The South, but even on a 95 degree day, I want a light fragrance that lasts more than 15 minutes.

Anonymous said...

Love the scent of Prada Candy but not so thrilled with the name. I would have called it Prada Pink. Candy is a wonderful and intoxicating scent on the dry down very addicting. Many of us thought it was too sweet at first but then wore the fragrance and realized how refreshing, soft and feminine it became after 30 minutes on the skin. I have had more complements while wearing this fragrance than any other and I am over 40. So even though the packaging and the name suggest a younger girl, I say it is for the young and sexy at heart, enjoy!

Katie Puckrik said...

Abigail, I really like Candy! I'm fascinated by how gosh-darned caramelly the caramel is, and how it and the benzoin really becomes one with the skin. I agree that it's no Angel-style heavyweight, but I like the contradiction between the thick smell of cajeta and how sheerly it hangs in the air. I don't know that I've smelled a sweetie-pie gourmand that's so transparent yet creamy. I'm with you on Infusion d'Iris - that's just dreary. Or to put it more politely: not for me today.

Abigail said...

Hi KP,

It's not that I don't like Candy, I actually like it, but what peeved me is how soft it is in comparison with the marketing which made me think it was to be "explosive" and an "overdose" of benzoin...

Candy is nice, but I need a little more ooompf. :)

FruitDiet said...

The graphics they're using in the ads for this are so profoundly unappealing to me. They remind me of, in order: Caroline in the City, Sex in the City tie-in memorabilia, Snackwells diet cookie commercials, greeting cards that women who don't really know each other exchange, and things sold at TJ Maxx in the line to the register.

Abigail said...

FruitDiet,

So True! I am cracking up :)