PERFUME NAME:
Eau de Charlotte

PERFUME HOUSE:
Annick Goutal

PERFUMER:
Annick Goutal

YEAR:
1982

OLFACTORY FAMILY:
Floral Fruity

DESCRIPTION:
From Goutal's website: For the mischievous, romantic woman. Close your eyes and imagine the boldness of blackcurrant bud, and the sweet roundness of mimosa and cocoa. A blend of fruit and flowers for a sweet and spiritual scent with a hint of romanticism.

Other databases name lily and vanilla as additional notes.

CONCENTRATION:
Eau de Toilette

MY EXPERIENCE:
I must admit, I'm somewhat of an Annick Goutal fangirl. I've yet to smell any fragrance from the AG house that didn't smell like it was made by a heavenly creature dressed in layers of sheer, white fabric that billowed in the wind as she brought the first, magical moments of morning's light to the darkest corners of the universe by way of a unicorn pegasus.

Eau de Charlotte is one of the very few exceptions to this rule. It does not smell like morning's first light, but rather a breezy, early summer afternoon in a meadow surrounded by berry patches and filled with fluffy bunnies and wildflowers.

The blackcurrant notes are immediately noticeable and generously last throughout the distinct but fleeting scent of unsweetened cocoa. I am never able to pick out the mimosa or lily notes out on their own, but instead find that they replace the sweetness of the berry note with a soft, refreshing floral, which is what prevents this fragrance from being juvenile or turning into jam.

People often complain about the lasting power of AG's fragrances being too short. I am lucky in that they generally last several hours on me, however it is worth mentioning that Goutal herself has said that she intentionally makes the fragrances with the intention of changing what she's wearing over the course of the day or even layering them. For this reason, Goutal is one of the few perfume houses from which I prefer the EDTs to the EDPs, since this concentration is how she intends them to be experienced when they're created.

I don't know that I'd agree with Goutal's website's assertion that Eau de Charlotte is mischievous, but it is absolutely romantic, and one of my all time favorites.

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THERE'S STILL TIME TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!

You, reader, yes, YOU can win a miniature bottle of one of my all time most despised perfumes! It's an easy giveaway. See March 1st's entry for details.