Description
Vero Profumo launched kiki eau de parfum in March 2010. The fragrance with the same name, kiki, in extrait de parfum created in May 2007. The fragrance was named in an hommage to Kiki de Montparnasse, Muse of Man Ray.
“The new perfumes are not the diluted version of the extracts. An eau de parfum needs a structure highlighting more the top
notes as opposed to the base notes, but with the aim of keeping the original style of the extract intact”.
In order to render the scents lighter and easier to wear, the compositions have been simplified; yet that “je ne sais quoi”
unmistakably characterizing the extracts is still clearly there. “I replaced the animalic notes with the unique scent of the
passionfruit – says Vero Kern – I personally love it very much and think that it lends a sensual and erotic lightness to the
composition”. Like an invisible thread, the intriguing scent of passionfruit links the three perfumes: it is at the core of everchanging, unexpected olfactory sensations with multifaceted evolutions.
Vero added passionfruit instead cassis, and simplified the base notes.
Photo copyright: saramarotohebrero.com
Blay1993222 – :
at first I simply didn’t liked Vero.Profumo’s ‘Kiki’. what now follows is a European transnational, as confusing as celebrative journey and the preferences from a Dutch person. my first deep love with Vero Kerns creations was with Rubj, as much in the ‘extrait’ form, the ‘edp’ as the ‘voile’. this very present perfume satisfied all my preferences for big, Galaworthy, white flowers opulent and well, 80s swooning perfumial hegemony like poison-giorgio-obsession-coco- knowing had done before her. during the session of buying of the edp I tried Kiki and didn’t liked it right away, despite the references to Kiki de Montparnasse and a frivole of a Parisienne. I neither like ‘Jicky’ while I love Guerlain (Nahéma, Mahora, Shalimar, Mitsouko, L’Heure Bleue, Vol de Nuit, L’Instant de Guerlain). I love Paris, I love France, I am a ‘francophile’. nevertheless I didn’t liked Kiki bc of the prominent Lavender. my second Vero Kern perfume was ‘Rozy’ which was a kind of ‘rose-without-rose’ perfume for me while I absolutely adore roses and rose-perfumes. I learned there was a rose in Rozy but Vero wanted it not to be conventional. 3d and 4th were “Mito’ and “Onda” delicious perfumes to this day I still have to read their stories to tell which is which although I can smell the difference and they are all four masterpieces. with (searching…..) ‘Mito’ came the italian ‘myth’ of the Villa d’Este and the statues in a magnificent Italian garden in the summer sprinkled with the droplets from the fountains droplets which became an aerosole spritz perfumes with the, due to the Italian summer aetherial oils of the flowering bushes. here comes the love for Italy. then ‘Onda’ could be an almost austere ‘wave’ of waves of spicey vetiver, ginger, mace, coriander and what demanding and delicious perfume this was. in the mean time “Parfums Dusita” made its interfering and beauteous enthrance, especially with ‘Oudh Infini’, ‘Mélodie d’Amour’, ‘Issara’, ‘Le Sillage Blanc’ and ‘La Douceur de Siam’. it was such that I made comparisons between Dusita and Vero Kern yet that was only possible within their similarity of stupefying beauty. then Vero Kern delighted us with ‘Naja’ also such exceptionally composed, in the notes with disparatest of ingredients yet wholely alchymically working sultry snake-perfume intruiguingly uniting the antipoisonous amulette with the poisonous threat embedded in lindens dustiness and osmanthus’s headiness composing yet a masterpiece while Pissara Umavijani completed her latest contributions to her ‘Maison’: ‘Erawan’ and ‘Fleur de Lalita’. conclusion was that I loved all the perfumes of VK and all the fe/male creations of PD and THEN there was “Kiki”. Who doesn’t love the lavenderfields in the south of France such an abundance of colour and (calming) scent. I do. I also love lavender in classic english brands as Yardley, Russel & Bromley, Fortnum & Mason and in the classic gents’ perfumes all anglosaxon Creed, Floris, Penhaligon, Geo F.Trumper. yet with the accidental stumbling on a tester for Vero.Profumos “Kiki” I was finally tempted to try. what now surprisingly saved her for my taste is the veritable perfumial character she emits. it is all soft, rich and extremely layered and in full evolvement as the time goes by. the lavender becomes indeed an element of parisian raffinesse and the caramel enhances this streak. in a few wearings she has won me over and now I have payed a fortune to pay for the genius concoctions of these ladies, the one uniting Thai refinement with Parisian elegance and the other taking us on a paneuropean journey full of surprises and mysterious ingredients.
a last note to all Vero.Profumo perfumes is that the aromatological background of the perfumer Vero Kern shines through in “the five”. it is either in an ingredient or in the combination of ingredients that ‘an extra dimension’ is added as well in conscious as subconscious level I suppose. the perfumes are truly ‘giving’. the other dimension ‘palpable’ in all perfumes (the most in Rubj) is that they are sexy as hell. either by the use of honey or passionfruit or (natural and or synthetic musk) or simply because of the use of sumptuous flowers (magnolia, orange blossom, tuberose, rose, vanilla).
Ирина 13 – :
I love all sorts and blends with lavender, it suits great to my chemistry and my mind loves this smell, but I have never even dreamt of having caramelised one, with passionfruit on the top. It could be a recipe for disaster for any other fragrance attempt, so I do believe in certain magical super powers of Vero Kern herself. She obviously is a very skilful aromatologist, because she didn’t kill a one single molecule of the actual lavender, by adding caramel and exotic fruit to it. Lavender remains lavender, as a main actress in this beautiful phantasmagoria of notes.
Kiki has very nice, dreamy soul within and I appreciate fragrances that do possess one. In perfumes like that you actually able to establish a connection between the scented molecule and the cells of your body, like one chemist from Guerlain house once put forward the idea of a certain parallelism between scented vibrations and those emitted by homeopathic granules and since remedy must be individualised to be effective, the perfume should obey the same conditions and be “individual”.
What I wanted to say is that there are lots of lavender types in the world of fragrances, but Kiki is the one that closest to that “individually yours” lavender somehow. Certain awakening to me and stimulus to the intellect. Love.
aghvan – :
Mm. Tropical chewy toffee. Literally edible. Candyland lovers only.
men4ak – :
I really wonder! where is the mango? the splash combination of mango and passion fruit is just overwhelming in away that brings the coolness to this juice. The lavender, lime, & yuzu are there too.
After few minutes, it goes creamy, tender with traces of tender slight caramels and soft calming lavender. It did developed quite good.
I have reviewed “Kiki Voile d`Extrait” which has a different pyramid and i am loving both partially in away that make me differentiate them as certain personas:
1+ Kiki EDP: i LOVED the playful heart of it as it has that cheeky funny and happy heart of a fragile persona, i sometimes feels the intimacy, passion, & sensitivity hidden under the curtains of a clown heart. But the dry-down shows the fragility of that heart quite clear in away that it goes quite thin sweet and trying to be strong with that thin creamy factor.
2+ Kiki Voile d`Extrait: on the other hand, the Extrait begins slightly heavy shaded, sort of powerful, and sometimes boring persona as the first impression, cause they lack the fun factor were everything is serious with them. As it dries down, you kind of getting to know them and they become quite trusting so they kind of soar a bit but mostly on the flattering sexual side, as you can still feel the charisma but feels quite strong sexy and very settling causing the thick creamy factor that carries the mix.
Both are quite good. This house is quite impressive.
Evgen_ka – :
If I am going to go fresh or fresh spicy it has to be like this kinda odd. I love the description of Irish Spring in there and I get that but I like it. It is like a blast of fresh air. Just got this after I finished up a sample, so I can’t wait to get to know it better. I love this gal’s perfumes. Not the usual mass market, not that there is anything wrong with that, frags.
Mezyn841Bessinepome – :
Apologies to all the Vero lovers, but Kiki is not a favorite. On my skin she is simply Yardleys’ English Lavender Soap with a dry down of Irish Spring and patchouli. I don’t get any caramel and I’m happy for that. Kiki lasts for hours, smelling clean and fresh and a bit like the soap isle in the drugstore.
kamazdimka – :
Kiki elevates the simple pleasures of lavender. The first few hours are a technical marvel, as refreshing top notes defy expectations by maintaining their presence and verve for a surprising length of time, weaving in and out of the olfactory “view.” The fragrance opens with lavender: armfuls of dried lavender, dazzling fields of fresh growing lavender, and cocktail glasses full of lavender liqueur. At various points in time, zesty, juicy citrus pops in and out like a bright ray of sunshine. When you aren’t paying attention, somehow the huge lavender mellows out into a soothing accent for passionfruit – fresh, sweet, yet oddly carnal – for a time. Then the balance shifts again, with varying degrees of fresh, bracing, herbal, floral, and soapy lavender, at times infused with bergamot, at other times veering to caramelized brown sugar facets or coming back to melt into the vibrant passionfruit.
As the brighter, tarter notes start to quiet down, the caramelized, sun-warmed musk gradually shifts the balance from exuberant to cozy and indulgent, like a lavender macaron. The caramel tones are persistent but quiet and not overdone. The musky base, which reminds me of some old-school Guerlains, feels especially sultry and coy pushed up against the prim, clean scent of lavender. Kiki is breezy and easy, but never a bore.
Before I tried Kiki, I didn’t feel the need or desire for a feminine lavender… it seemed like strong lavender belonged in bath products, room scents, or prototypical masculine colognes. But then I sampled the extrait, and though it was not love at first whiff, I kept coming back to it. I’m so glad I took the risk and went for the EDP blind. The extrait is comfortable and rich, but flat and linear compared to the shimmering, multi-faceted EDP. The two formulations are closely related, but have different personalities.
wwwwwwhhhhh – :
While I detected some vague fruit at the opening, it is overpowered by a screechy lavender/rosemary combo that chokes out any other random notes in this fragrance. I get no caramel whatsoever in this – zero, zilch, nada. I expected an exotic take on lavender and got Fabuloso household cleaner instead.
Horrid.
Still on the hunt for a lovely lavender which apparently does not exist in perfumery.
KRIZISSS – :
Passionfruit, caramel, and lavender sounds like a mess, but everything here is balanced with a light touch. The musky, almost custardy quality of the heavier Kikis is absent, and instead there is a light, warm background to the interplay of fruit and lavender. For “caramel”, read burnt sugar, not Mars Bar: this isn’t a gourmand scent, and the sweetness is dialed down quite a bit.
Most in the Vero line are either a bit bombastic ( Rubj, Rozy ) or a bit forbidding ( Onda, and the heavier Mitos ), but Kiki eau de parfum smells like it could have been a summer masculine of thirty years ago, and that’s no bad thing.
Easy going, comfortable, balanced: recommended.
yKpoIIRUS – :
Don’t be scared of lavander . It is the most beautiful perfume that I try in my life !!!
qjj080speagoessenda – :
Kiki EDP emphasizes the passion fruit. The sweet sourness of passion fruit pairs beautifully with the herbal bitterness of the lavender and the fresh minty smell I associate with geranium (think of Frederic Malle’s Geranium pour Monsieur with its invigorating spicy freshness). I sense some powdery notes and musk in the base of the EDP, which help keep the passion fruit in check. I find the sillage of the EDP to be much stronger than the Vd’E but I think it’s because my skin tends to project fruity notes well. The lavender is all smiles in Kiki EDP, not the cold astringent quality it can have in certain perfumes. The musk is perceptible but not overwhelming, the scent stays quite fresh and aromatic throughout its long lifespan.
Indeteemy – :
I can smell nothing more than talc and lavender … reminds me Felce Azzurra Paglieri. I was expecting much better.
Popregun – :
I agree with Ladykarl that Vero Kern is becoming the Stanley Kubrick of perfume. Her creations are simply amazing. What really gets me is the seamlessness of her perfumes. Meaning on my skin nothing stands out but rather translates as a masterful blend. I have to intensely focus my attention to call out individual components but even then I’m just pulled into the full aromatic experience. Kiki EDP is lovely, very Parisian, Rive Gauche, artsy-bohemian, but also very elegant.
Mebhi151JeomiWogkig – :
I am curious too…
new2233 – :
Ok. You guys lavender and carmel sound kinda gross its true. What the Hell!
I just put Kiki on and Vero Kern is becoming the Stanley Kubrick of perfumes.
He created some severely unsettling content for viewers out there ; but clearly stayed true to his own mission and no doubt acquired a degree of excellence that is a rare achievement.
All i know is I can see the poison is all of Vero’s perfumes, but taste and scent aside each time i put one on i feel good. I know that its not possible for everyone to agree with the kind of perfumes she makes but i guess thats what makes them so special…and well /expensive.
A lot of people say this is the least favorite of the three (there is also mito now).
If you ask me this would be the easiest to wear daily of the bunch.
Falangin – :
The Kiki Eau de Parfum almost the spitting image of the Extrait version, the only difference being that a greater emphasis on lavender, airier and less smokiness.
fum721speagoessenda – :
I think Kiki EdP is a masterpiece. The levander and caramel together create a fantastic accord, which not too sweet, light and creamy but there is a deep feeling too.
Sillage and lasting power both are excellent.
I adore this, Vero Kern is one of the best parfumer ever IMHO.
VaraGuamp – :
I bought this scent mainly lead by an idea than it’s actual notes – I found smelling like lavender romantic.
However, this is sweet, cloying lavender – the caramel makes it dirty. I’m actually considering giving it away.
The good:
Longevity – applied some 9 hours ago, it still lasts on my skin
Sillage – enough with one spritz,apply scarcely
Quality – it’s obviously made with high quality ingredients and much thought
The bad:
Overwhelmingly sweet. Lavender is challenging as it is – it’s difficult to come up with a good scent that doesn’t smell like laundry
Gourmand lavender is just wrong.
eph303speagoessenda – :
The moment I smelled KIKI I thought *lavender*! This is the first fragrance I tried that is primarily focused on this beautiful herbal note. As a lavender lover, I liked this interpretation of the lavender with some tropical notes of passion fruit and slight aroma of caramel. The composition strikes me as very French, sophisticated and reminds me of a Provence country side with endless fields of lavender under the blue sky.
The composition opens very aromatic with strong almost menthol accent, bergamot and lavender. It is not citrus fresh but more like lavender/bergamot fragrant bath oils. The passionfruit note becomes noticeable after a few minutes and it is sweet and tropical. I have to admit that I like this note layered on the strong aromatic notes. I also can smell a bit of patchouli. It is barely detectable at this point but it adds a nice nuance to the composition. The heart notes are lavender, lavender and more lavender on me. I do not detect the geranium at all but the caramel accent is quite lovely. The dry down is light musk, lavender and a bit of caramel. The dry down is too light, too close to the skin, and too short-lived for my taste.
If you love lavender you have to try this one. It is quite interesting and unusual interpretation of this note. I wish the dry down was more interesting and longer lived. I will have to try the pure parfum extract to see if it has better longevity. (Overall score – 8/10)
Nazar_Igor – :
Ooops. My skin picks up fruit notes of this composition, and I get super sweet combination of citron and something sweet and tropical. I guess this might be passion fruit from the list of notes. One would think that top notes won’t last for more than 15 minutes or so, but here am I, stuck like a fly in a super sweet fruity concoction. Some fruity fragrances do that to me, and I suspect that the end result will be the same: after the top notes disappear from my skin which they occupied for too long, the fragrance will be gone entirely. No lavender, no geranium, musk or even caramel. I had a similar experience with Tauer’s Un Rose Vermeille: giant raspberry and then gone. No go for me.
Cedostomv – :
I also, found kiki EDP to be, by far, my least favorite of the trio. I find the initial scent is very unpleasant, the musk and patchouli, and maybe the geranium, smell like benzoin to me and I simply can not abide that particular smell. It remains like this for about an hour, and then the more pleasant scent of citron makes its scent known. Then I smell just a bit of the sweetness of caramel, which lingers for a few more hours. Some might really enjoy this scent, so the best thing to do is sample it yourself.
Anton545161 – :
I received this as part of my Lucky Scent Fall sampler pack; along with the other three new EDPs. This one was the least appeling to me, as this is not my genre.
I approach Caramel and Lavender the same way I approach liver and onions. Blech. That said, the opening was surprisingly tolerable, and I appreciated the faint citrus notes that carried through to the middle section. This phase was enjoyable even, and I began to think that Kiki might not be all bad.
But at the 1 hour mark the sweet, cloying caramel kicked in, and this is when i reached for a new shirt. This is just not a note I can wear. I mainly got the sample pack for Onda and Rubj, which are more my style.