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yura-simonchuk – :
Sister-mothers. First impression=musk, floral. Yes it was True 😀 this has sillage and longevity problem less than 1 hour. 212 vip rose is better perfume. This isnt risky for gift.
serj33 – :
I found a sample of 212 in magazine and that way it became my first perfume.
This is spicy, peppery, green floral but not realistic floral scent. It’s more like cologne used by modern city girl who enjoys CK One or Gucci Envy for weekends. 212 easily created image of someone professional and grown up, that’s what I wished to be at time. The unusual packaging was a big impact in choice too.
irraslesy – :
A woman was wearing this as I past her in a Starbuck’s parking lot. She smelled so good that I had to spin around and ask her what she she had on.
This smelled GREAT on her — very sweet, high notes – but really nice and approachable… friendly.
I’m glad I asked her. Both she and her mom were beaming that I noticed her perfume. She reached into her purse to show me the bottle. Was beaming that I stopped and asked what she was wearing!
——-
This is definitely one to try! Glad I found it!
sueplelastee – :
I’ve been curious about this fragrance for years and finally tried it thanks to my monthly fragrance subscription. I really like it! I can smell the orange blossom with the first spray but that fades pretty quickly. There is also an unusual green note that must be the cactus flower. The fragrance is pretty sharp and soapy at first but ends up being a soft and musky white floral. It’s a very sophisticated scent that would be great for almost any occasion.
hwn627Negeltzex – :
I found this EDT for a great price for 60ml (2x30ml bottles). When I first tested it, there was some note that made me think this perfume smells like just cleaned public toilet, but I am sure the tester was bad. But there was something that made me think this is a great perfume for me, found a good tester in another shop. The initial smell has too much mixed notes, but right after 10 minutes it works its magic and fits great with my skin.
PeelayGythila – :
Musky and sharp. Lots of freesia and something green like lily-of-the-valley. Not my cup of tea.
gwt654speagoessenda – :
It has recently become one of my favourites…beautiful, elegant, feminine and unobtrusive .. it reminds me of Samsara – but a much kinder and softer version.
Love it!
rokki1611 – :
To me it smells like clean warm skin, probably because of the musk. Perfect day-to-day fragrance, inoffensive but unique enough to not be boring, and I always get compliments with it. 212 brings me a peaceful feeling. White flowers on a spring breeze, fresh lemon juice, long flowy dresses, cuddles under cool smooth sheets… Not a beach scent, though, more countryside.
Sillage and duration are moderate, a true EDT.
olyabelinski – :
I had it a long time ago, in 2003, so only describe the memory. It was a rather delicate scent, nose-less, not typical fresh , but also not typical floral, rather something in between, some wood-floral climates.
It did not make an impression on me at that time, because I never came back to this perfume.
ptiz – :
I decided to test it today, because I’m really not familiar with Carolina Herrera’s fragrances and i was curious.
It is a light, airy floral. Usually, this kind of perfume doesn’t touch me, but i would be lying if i said it is bad made. It is not. It is actually very well blended. Elegant and unintrusive. It is feminine and self assured. It is not very original, but from this genre, i can say it is the best. I would even dare to say that it makes enough impact to be remembered and therefore it would be a good signature fragrance for floral lovers.
I would recommend it to a polite but relaxed lady.
Sillage is close to the skin. Can’t talk about longevity yet.
astral8111 – :
This scent is just amazing. Soft and warm with a full spectrum of well-blended facets that are not easy to readily identify. Very lady-like, creamy, and subtle. A true keeper.
vdGerold – :
a soaped silver chain necklace (musky soap + old silver)
I tested it on a hot day, omg I felt boiling inside, literally sinking in soap, got migraine aura flashes
Color: glaucous, Payne’s gray.
Аркус – :
I think this is a very clean scent. For everyday use, work, specially. It’s not fruity, nor citrusy, to me is smells like something I would call ‘dry scent’. I smell a little bit of lemon, until it wears out, but is really very subtle, I can smell musk and sandalwood through the whole day when I wear it. To sum it up, it is the kind of fragrance that makes you feel fresh, that you can wear during all seasons, it has moderate silage (for those who want to be noticed) and it lasts for 10h on my skin. It’s different from all other Herrera fragrances, not sweet at all, no patchouli, no smoky hints. I would still wear it as a night fragrance, though. I think it is different from everything you can find when it comes to the perfume market, nowadays… I don’t think I ever bumped into anything alike since it was launched. Perhaps slightly a bit of Oxygene, from Lanvin, which was discontinued. It is definitely not my favorite, but it is the one I carry in my purse, always. It just goes so well and blends with my skin so beautifully that it is the kind of scent I know won’t bother anyone, night or day and still smell elegant. You will never smell cheap with this one. Thumbs up for its uniqueness.
kabana – :
I first discovered this fragrance when I was very young. I still remember the place and the summer breeze. I sprayed on my arm and I instantly fell in love with it. I bought it much later when I had enough money…Since that time I bought may bottles, until CH disappeared from Canada with all its fragrances. I managed to buy a few on sale at that time. Now I barely use it, as I don’t want remain without it. I still love it. It reminds me of the summer breeze somewhere in Europe where I first discovered it. It is mild floral, sophisticate,and in the end smells like some musk and sandalwood. There is nothing like it. My signature fragrance, though I like many other perfumes.
shilo – :
This was my first perfume when I was a teenager. I still purchase a bottle every now and then cause I’m still in love with it It’s a very safe choice for work and very recognisable. Beautiful smell but not “wow”…
bufalo7777 – :
This is not a real review because I have tried it just once and on a paper strip but for sure I’m going to try it again and this time on my skin because I find it absolutely lovely on paper
It’s a famous fragrance and I’ve seen it in different perfume shopes for ages but I was never willing to try it.I don’t know why but I never cared much about 212 perfumes(I only have 212sexy which I like it but not a love)
Recently I’ve been interested in florals and musky scents.I opened this page accidentally and when I saw it’s notes I felt it would be right up my alley.today when I sprayed it’s tester I could smell soft,fresh,lovely white florals with a slight green undertone,I usually hate any traces of greenness in my perfumes but it’s not bad here.now after four hours what I smell on paper is a delicate,clean scent.white florals and white musk.I find it very pleasant,feminine,ageless,beautiful and great for spring days
Gonna edit as soon as I try it once again
❤❤❤❤
فقط یبار تستش کردم تو همین تست دراین حد متوجه شدم که یه عطر تقریبا خنک،لطیف و زیباست.شروع عطر با رایحه ملایم و لطیف گلهای سفیده که کمی ته رایحه سبز دارن.در ادامه مشکی تر میشه و ترکیب گلها و مشک سفید رایحه اصلی این عطر رو تشکیل میده.رایحه ای تمیز و زیبا،زنونه ومناسب تمام سنین و کاملا بهاره.من که خیلی خوشم اومد
Lildegeextege – :
Teenage stuff. I can’t use it anymore. It is nice, but for me is over. I find it flat, which is y opinion for most Carolina Herrera scents, very comercial, not very interesting.
tetlanka – :
It is a scent that refers to a morning walk in an orchard of flowering orange trees. No relation to large cities that asks for a more electric aroma. It brings a young, pink-cheeked feeling to the spring sun. It is a fresh floral, not citric and with a light touch of sandalwood at the end. It is neither musky nor sweet. It fits well on the skin. Orange blossom, Lilly, Lilly-of-the-Valey and Sandalwood are the most prominent notes. It remembers me Anais-Anais, but is softer. Very feminine and romantic, it combines with fresh sunny days or starry nights.
bmv0270sveta – :
For my skin ,it hard for me. Clean and fresh but sexy and good smells spread.For a confident woman.
missdeschko – :
212, I love thee, let me count the ways…I have owned this perfume for a few years, and I always go back to it once I’ve worn different perfumes. To me, I wear this scent best in the fall and winter. It’s starting to get colder, so I’ve gotten my sweaters out, and started wearing 212 again starting this past Monday. Today is Saturday and EVERY DAY since I started wearing 212, I’ve gotten compliments from men and women on how good I smell. I usually wear Wind Song during the fall also, but I never get compliments on how I smell, not like when I wear 212.
On me it’s a very white floral with musky-powdery undertones which I absolutely ADORE! It reminds me of smelling like you just took a lovely shower; I mean, how sexy is it to smell out-of-the-shower fresh?
I have always loved how the bottle is made: a cylinder with two separate perfume bottles on either side that connect into it. It’s very convenient because I can put one ball in my purse, and the other is left on my vanity, so you save money on having to buy a smaller perfume bottle for travel! I’ve read a few reviews on here stating that this perfume isn’t suited for someone over 25, but I’m 28 and I wear this well, just as anyone would, regardless of age. I’m actually almost out so I need another bottle…I’m gonna have to ask my hubby for one (or 5 :P)! Please, please don’t discontinue or reformulate this perfume, Mrs. Herrera, you’ve definitely got a winner here, my dear!
Unrerodooli – :
This scent is perfect for all moods of a woman. It is calm and feminine when she is relaxed, and bold when she is active….the trail marks herbunforgettable identity and lasting memory. It knows when to keep silent and when to roar…the fragrance that leaves a mark to the senses.
hawk_1993 – :
I also detect a chemical dry down with this one, much like the smell of witch hazel.
exu348Bessinepome – :
The first impression just after spraying on, was immediate dislike. But dry down is much better and very floral. But still, not for me, there is something that I just do not like about it, for me it smells quite artificial. It reminds me of Alfred Sung’s Pure, which I like a lot, but this one didn’t work for me. The longevity and silage is very good, and I can understand that some can really love it, but try it before you buy it.
uyrteyiuyute – :
My favorite in 2001 in high school
I didn’t have CH perfumes in my wardrobes
But 212 …
CH has strong scent which became very nice after a while.
gdrden – :
I have grown to love this scent. When I first spray it there is a metallic note but given around 20 minutes or so it becomes much more rounded and sophisticated, working well with my skin chemistry. It is floral without being sickly, there’s a coldness to it that makes me reach for it on sunny winter days. On me, it does not smell like any other perfume and for that reason alone I would recommend it as a fresh out of the shower, every occasion scent but without being generic. I can understand this might be a disaster and seem chemically or synthetic if it does not suit your particular skin chemistry, but for me those particular elements work in this perfume – I don’t always want to smell like something that grows out of the ground 🙂 In the summer I’d wear it too, it’s definitely suited to a city. It’s not an easygoing summer bbq fragrance. I’ve never been to NY…perhaps at a sophisticated beach restaurant in Barcelona!
SPIV – :
Summary: boring and artificial on paper and while wet, but magnificently juicy and natural feeling green floral musk as soon as it dries on my warm skin.
Try before you buy, and let it mix with your natural scent. If your skin chemistry works with this one it becomes an interesting juicy green floral soapy scent unlike anything I have smelled.
========
I received this as a gift a year ago, and it was a lucky choice of the gifter, as it is a kind of scent I would not have chosen, done in a way that suits my skin and my taste wonderfully.
It’s, on me, a mix of clean flower soap, musk, very fresh gardenia and something green, plant-y and juicy (probably the cactus). The green juicy part reminds me of crushed white flower petals, almost lettuce. Unusual.
The surprising thing, for me, is how much it smells like some flower bushes from my childhood, flowery but still green and very natural-feeling. Maybe camelia bushes did have a smell, though I seem to remember unscented flowers.
Smells much better on me as my skin warms it than on paper or at first, right after spraying.
My skin amps just the right notes to turn it interesting and unusual.
It really was a lucky guess from my gifter 🙂
lily-zn – :
Honestly I love it. At first i felt kind of sweet, musky aura…but after that, the first 30 minutes my nose captures the smell of a bergamot and some white flowers. Or at least this is what I feel. To sum up, it brings me a common soapy sensation, feminine cleanliness. Good choice for everyday use, at work, school, etc. I used to have ‘212 sexy’ some time ago, but compared to one another I would prefer it over this (*212). Somehow ‘sexy’ has more sweet and seductive notes and sort of feels closer to me and my skin. The ‘212’ itself is a wonderful fragrance too, but I’m not sure if I want to repurchase it 🙂
VENERA – :
this one is like a beautiful floral soap to me. i always have one on my collection. i can use it in any time of the year. it’s something different, i don’t feel like i’m wearing perfume. makes me feel clean all day, as i took a shower yet.
and also my fiance thinks it’s very sexy, but this is not weird to me. he is a hygiene lover, he can smell any detergent for hours and hours without boring. 😀
PretsBeamskar – :
What I love the most about tis perfume is the drydown. It turns in such a clean, subtle scent. And it does last a while on your clothes. Definitely a favourite of mine.
anybis – :
I’ve been wearing this one lately. Its floral and fresh. Initially it’s a bit too floral but then it dries down nicely to a soft floral. Longevity is pretty great. Lasts a good 8-10 hrs. Turns into a skin scent at the 5th hour. I haven’t recieved many compliments on this perfume. I’ve been told I smell nice by a few people but Not in an enthusiastic way. Once I finish my bottle i won’t repurchase. It’s nice but not for me. Maybe because it’s my aunts winter signature. My aunt gifted it to my mom and my mom hates the scent. Says it’s too floral and gives her a headache. so probably not a safe gift option.
I wanted to edit this reviews because I’ve been wearing it exclusively at work for a few weeks because I’m trying to finish my bottle. Now I’m recieving compliments everyday on how great I smell. When I get out of the shower I use a fruity Victoria’s secret body spray and after I’m dressed I spritz on 212 on my skin and clothes. I think the combo may be softening up the strong floral or maybe it’s just mixing well with my skin chemistry. It smells better on my skin than clothes.
tchitai – :
i am 42 and i am wearing this perfume. it is a safe choice for everyday. easy to wear it, very good for work and mornings.
yamaximus – :
The musk is the most prominent. I can slightly feel some underlying flower notes but that’s about it. It’s quite pleasant but nothing extraordinary for my nose. And I don’t smell anything at all unless I get close, but I only sprayed once so maybe I should have applied more. These were just my first impressions.
referas – :
It is very powerful thing. On clothing smells so many days, it has a good projection. Very good choice for every occasion and for work. I liked this one, for me is a clasic. Much like the others, it is not an ordinary fresh out. I heartily recommend.
Leuchtraft – :
Likeable fragrance. It’s musky and citrusy floral. Nice and light. I really like the review below mine, it describes this perfume well.
I think it’s an everyday scent, no wow factor there.
Just simple clean and nice, a little soapy as well.
Still, I am waiting for Carolina Herrera to wow me, it hasn’t happened yet.
borus-1984 – :
Working-girl scent. It’s sign is Virgo. I say girl on purpose, I think it doesn’t really suit a woman older than 30-35.
It’s musky, I smell something green but not dry in the opening, maybe the cactus. Apart from that it stays pretty stable -musky floral- from the beginning to the end.
I don’t find it wow but it’s recognizable and makes sense as a perfume, characteristics which are hard to find in perfumes released after let’s say 2010.
Or maybe it’s just me getting old!
wlp871speagoessenda – :
I bought it for me and got it just yesterday. It is a good perfume, a bit overwhelming and strong for me. My friend tried it on and she is in love with it! I will give it to her for her birthday soon! She will be so so happy. I will look for another one from Carolina H. It is a great line and sure will end up finding what I like 🙂 Again this is a nice perfume, but it is not for me 🙂
Armagedon – :
When I was ordering samples I actually wanted to try Carolina Herrera 212 Sexy instead of this one, but because I have it, I decided to test it out anyway.
This scent is very soapy on my skin, and it’s quite a clean and bergamot heavy soap. White florals and citrus are not a good combination on my skin. I don’t get much development with the scent, which makes it quite linear, although it does get a little softer in the dry-down. I can definitely understand the appeal to this fragrance, but the clean soapiness reminds me a little too much of a soap used in a ladies’ bathroom, which is really off putting. I think it’s the freesia and lilies which give me that feeling.
Soft sillage; lasts for about 4-5 hours.
Aaron2000 – :
I’ve been thinking of getting a bottle of this for the last 17 years or so, but I always ended up buying something more expressive either way – sweeter/spicier or fresher/more floral. 212 belongs somewhere in between, which leaves me with a sense of unrest. But I guess this is why it’s so universal. I think I’ll eventually get it one day when for some reason I’ll get tired of experiments and wish to wear an elegant perfume that has a little bit of everything and is inoffensive at the same time.
cfo903speagoessenda – :
fresh, modern and city feel like perfume. Gives you energy and a young feeling. it’s not the classic fresh perfume though, it has a distinctive note as well, so not boring at all. I had it few years back and I would buy it again anytime.
tsaritsa – :
I marked this one as my signature just now because i realised that this is the only fragrance that i’ve been purchasing at least once every year for ten years. It’s young, clean and crispy and sophisticated in a womanly way.
Aerohoplenerittx – :
This is a wonderful, fresh, clean, elegant fragrance suitable to be worn everyday. It does smell a bit soapy with the musk, but that is what makes this great for everyday. It’s a clean, understated fragrance that speaks every day elegance that people find very attractive because you’re approachable. Many come very close to me to smell this, and they let me know it too.
You might say, “it’s not special!” I ask you, would you wear that fabulous evening dress that accentuates those curves with those Manolo’s and that gorgeous diamond necklace with matching earrings to the office or out running errands? No, that would be for the gala you plan on attending Saturday night. Your perfume should be something appropriate for the outing. So should your fragrance to the office or out and about running errands. Nothing flashy to draw TOO much attention to yourself, but certainly nothing frumpy either. With the compliments I get on this, this is far from frumpy and the word used most often by people complimenting me is “elegant”.
Some mention the plastic doll scent in the opening. I get that too sometimes. I find that fragrances with a bergamot/orange or mandarin combo causes that. I just see it as the scent setting things up for the other notes to join in and come together. Much like musicians tuning their instruments before the symphony starts. It only lasts a few minutes. When the other notes start coming in, oh what beautuful music they play. The freesia, rose, lily of the valley, sandalwood, and musk are the main players in this symphony with gardenia chiming in here and there.
Longevity is 6+ hours which is great for an EDT and sillage is moderate at about 1-2 ft away the first few hours and closer to the skin later on. I’ve been told that this does leave a trail. I could walk past someone and the scent comes in like a pleasant breeze. It does make heads turn. The sandalwood and musk is very sensual yet elegant to people.
Great for warm months and a couple of friends of mine in Portugal wear this during the winter months there which is comparable to the winters here in Houston.
EDIT: I wore this today. Spritzed it on at 6:30. I thought this was probably gone at about 1:00 but was rushing to a meeting, so I didn’t have time to freshen up. Around 3:30 this afternoon, one of our outside vendors came in the door as we were leaving out of the meeting from our conference room. As we walked down the hallway he asked, “what is that gorgeous perfume you’re wearing? You smell so good!” I was shocked! 9 hours later from when I initially spritzed it on and he could still smell my perfume just standing next to me. I’m impressed! Not to mention, the sincere compliments I’ve been getting from people when wearing this. Well nothing would do, he wanted the name of it to buy it for his wife. I gladly gave it to him. I hope they enjoy it as much as I have.
Gopok23 – :
My dad works on cruise liners around The Netherlands and bought me a bottle of this when he away. He has a very good nose for perfume and has actually recommended a lot of my perfume collection over the years. He wanted to find a perfume for me so he and a bunch of his workmates all went down to the store on the ship and sprayed each other with different scents.
As they were walking around the ship later that day, one scent in particular caught my dad’s attention, which was 212 Carolina Herrera. He bought it for me and here is my breakdown of what it smells like on me:
Opening- Fresh, soapy floral base with green and a very subtle citrus layering overtop to give a bit of bite. (15-20 mins).
Middle- Green floral, strong rose and white camilla gives way to white flower and freesia. Cactus prominent. Musk begins to creep in subtly underneath the soap. (30-40 mins).
Base- Soapy, musky white flower. Clean and crisp. Most of the green has gone, some floral still detected though not as prominently.
Scent cloud= 1 1/2-2 hours (soft)
Total wear time= 6-7 hours (long-lasting).
I’m a fan of stronger scents so i’d never had anything this light or clean before but i’ve quickly grown used to it and now it’s my go-to spring scent.
Having said that, i totally understand why many people on here have said that they like it, but they don’t love it. It can be a bit too soapy on some people and it’s not very strong. After about 2 hours you have to get in really close to smell it anymore, but it actually lingers quite a long time on my skin. I was surprised that i could still smell it faintly by the evening if i sniffed my wrist.
But the imagery of three working-class white-van-men spraying each other in women’s perfume is too funny not to love!
Krec_90 – :
beaglebaileysm – I think you might have a faulty bottle. I’ve repurchased 212 several times now and have never found the bottles difficult to remove from the middle, nor have ever had any leakage. If I were you I’d contact the store you purchased your bottle from and see if they’ll replace it for you x
Deroxjuztc – :
So while I somewhat like this, I definitely don’t love it. It does have a nice clean vibe to it but my problem is the way it goes on my skin, I can’t detect it right away but throughout the day I get sparatic bursts of scent. It’s really weird. If I try to smell my wrists or wherever I sprayed, it’s like ‘Poof’ magically disappears and then resurfaces sometime later. I am a perfume lover and have many but this one puzzles me! Lol
ALLEXX737 – :
I am surprised no one has mentioned how exasperating the bottle is. What is the purpose of dividing it into two bottles? And SO hard to remove from the silver thing in the middle that holds them together. And my bottle(s) leaked terribly. Alas, this fragrance seems to be the next best thing to Elysium, so I will grin and bear it. It is beautiful.
UPDATE: I did exchange for a new bottle, and the new one is not difficult to open. Thanks for the tip! I do love this fragrance!
DimkiN – :
Have a bottle of this for swap. 30ml unused. PM if interested.
safmulaexcums – :
Nice and clean. I like the smell on me! Simply love it. Thumbs up.
solovei1807 – :
Love love love this fragrance! I will run out and venture with a few different one but I always come back to this one!
china76 – :
I can see why there are many ‘likes’ for this perfume, but few ‘loves’ and ‘dislikes’. I would add my vote of ‘like’ as well. It is a good perfume- smells clean but expensive. However, I feel that it lacks originality- it smells similar to many other perfumes (e.g. 5th Avenue). It also has a unisexy vibe that I don’t quite care for. I’m glad I only got a sample of this, and not a larger decant.
Scouseimmus – :
I agree with FloridaMom, this is an exquisite, elegant perfume. I love gardenia so this was a no brainer for me, I get a sultry, musky gardenia not an overpowering in your face gardenia. Love the sillage, it leaves such a nice after scent in my wake.
I found this during one of my perfume runs and a fellow shopper, a lady who used to work for a high end perfume store asked me what smell I liked and turned me on to it. Thank you ma’am, I love it.
This is one of my favorites and a great addition to any collection. Give it a try.
yuran1970 – :
I love it! On me it smells exquisite and elegant,with great sillage and longevity. Worth giving it a try to see if it suits your body chemistry.
herhealfMex – :
Very nice! It’s more musky floral than fruity floral to my nose. There is a warm feel to the florals, which is balanced by the soft freshness of the cactus. The result is a rounded fragrance that is modern and feminine. I agree that the lasting power is great.
212 CH features possibly one of my favourite notes of musk in the fragrances I’ve encountered so far. I sometimes have trouble wearing very musky fragrances. This musk adds a surprising level of femininity and sensuality without being harsh or overpowering.
I can see why this has attracted so many positive reviews. Thank you to RhaineClayton for the generous sample!
arediefrews – :
Nice and clean. Everyday frag for me. Delicate and feminine, my husband likes it on me:)
Silos – :
I’ve reviewed this one before and must admit I wasn’t that impressed by the soapiness in this. To me it ruined it.
Anyway, I took a punt and got a 30ml of it and I’ve had a change of heart.
The soapiness doesn’t really come out on my skin and I get whiffs of this amazing floral all day!
I think this may be an ongoing “stayer” in my collection.
rammstefan – :
This is a beautiful perfume that wears long, is sophisticated and comforting, and smells like a creative mixture of all the ingredients- florals and woods. After I had sprayed myself in Sephora, I was surrounded by a little cloud of 212 radiating off my skin all night.
I initially tried this on a tester strip at the Sephora. I thought, ugly bottle but hey, I’ve seen this one higly rated on fragrantica.com and other beauty guru sites. I sprayed a few others on other tester strips, but this one I kept coming back to. I discarded the other strips and sprayed it again to make sure it was 212 that I sprayed. I kept thinking, it can’t be 212-
I decided to have a spray on my neck and look around at makeup for a while. While browsing I kept getting whiffs of this gorgeous powdery, warm, musky, woody scent. I even asked the sales associate for help and kept smelling something thinking it was “her perfume”. However, I soon realized it was me!
I bought this thinking the main notes were bergamot, musk, gardenia and vanilla.
Boy, I was wrong, there is this special cactus flower, mandarin and fruits, jasmine and lots of other flowers as well. This is apparently a floral.
Just- don’t overspray (golden rule of perfume)
ljeha – :
Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez give this perfume only 1 star in their a-z guide, and this is possibly the review I disagree with most.
Maybe it is my skin chemistry, maybe it is the climate I am in, but this works wonders on me. Very clean, very fresh, very feminine and elegant, I nearly always receive compliments when I wear this. (oh and one very negative comment, once, that it smelled like “perfume you could chew on”!)
That said, a few people who have asked what I was wearing have reported back that they tried it themselves and it smelled nothing like it does on me when they tried it. So maybe it just works well on me?
It always was a very comforting smell to me. Having said that, in my new journey of olfactory exploration I have not turned to this in a while so maybe I will find my perceptions have changed?
nikl72 – :
212 is clean, fresh, feminine and sexy. This is the perfume I go back to every summer and would wear this for any occasion, daytime or evening, or simply for everyday wear. There’s something absolutely beautiful and unique about this perfume, as I don’t usually go for fresh or citrusy scents, but this really is different from the rest as far as I’m concerned. The only trouble with 212 is that the lasting power is virtually non-existent on me and I have to layer it with the matching body lotion in order to make it last longer. This is by far my favourite perfume from Carolina Herrera and in my opinion, better than any of the 212 flankers that followed. This is also to my nose much sexier than 212 Sexy, which seems ironic…
elias – :
Unique and soapy in a good way. I haven’t tested any frags with cactus flower or white camelia yet, so those must have come into play for me. I almost like this all throughout except for the wilted rose note which ruins the musky drydown just a tad. Would buy at a discount as it’s unique enough to make a worthy addition to my small collection.
Mega_F1 – :
I think 212 is best worn in spring and summer, it’s very light, floral and clean smelling which is nice in warm weather. The cactus flower was probably the most apparent note on my skin, and jasmine and bergamot stood out as well. I only wished that there was more gardenia and sandal.
PogisseBemi – :
This one is VERY popular here in Brazil.
I used to wear it but it didn’t fit my skin.
It’s so strange how this fragrance chooses the woman…
My friend wears this and I love it on her.
212 is very fresh and sexy. Love it.
as2407 – :
Pretty revolting for the first 2 hours. It just smells a bit ‘off’. But after it has settled, it smells beautiful! Soft, warm, light. I just don’t want to have to wait this long for a fragrance to blossom.
Edit: Correction! This is BEAUTIFUL! I have learned to love the topnotes just as much as the middle and base. This perfume makes me feel light and feminine (but not girly).
mzigi – :
…krásná čistá vůně
ruslan_kot – :
I am looking for a smell that smells like detergent or soap: very fresh and right for every occasion. I think this smell will be close to my wishes. I will buy it (and I hope that the staying power will be good).
ko4egar – :
Love it, love it. Very clean, but not too sweet. I love to wear this in the summer.
Chester1986 – :
I love this perfume. On other people. My friend, a fellow perfume collector, and possessor of opposite-than-me body chemistry, bought 212. It was AMAZING. Bergamot and gentle citrus notes carry a well-balanced cool floral body. The silage was great, though not over-powering. This was a definite new want!
However… I wisely decided that I should give hers a try before buying my own b