So Pretty by Cartier

I wonder why they discontinue these jewels. Cartier’s So Pretty carries the seal of another era, truly deserving praise. I used to wear it when I was dating as a student, and even my professors would ask what I was wearing. I can’t quite describe the notes, but that combination creates an aura of sophistication. Feminine, medium longevity, it never gets tiring or boring. I really hope they bring it back.

Both the bottle and the fragrance are incredibly elegant, very Cartier. Now discontinued, So Pretty is highly versatile and, despite its elegance, appeals to a wide age range. It features a bold, deep rose with subtle honey notes. It doesn’t resemble the rose in Lancôme’s Trésor nor is it nostalgic, yet it recalls how that flower gets sweetened with vague candied fruits. This sweet rose, accented by iris and aldehydes, sometimes reminds me of the scent of baby wipes, though it doesn’t feel mundane thanks to the sandalwood and woody base. I’m not a huge rose fan and get overwhelmed by it quickly, but it seems like a great perfume for rose addicts, with the added benefit of being timeless. It brings to mind Madison Bridges, launched in 1995; although set three decades earlier, one could imagine Meryl Streep wearing something like this during filming. From So Pretty’s launch until 2001, when Eau de Cartier arrived as a totally unisex option, Cartier released several flankers, and it took another two years to find a new, different feminine scent: Le Baiser du Dragon, also now discontinued. By the way, I miss having a perfume calendar on Fragrantica organized by launch dates (including discontinuation years). I suppose it’s a massive undertaking, but I’m leaving the suggestion here.

Luxury in a bottle! So Pretty makes a perfume with a strong fruity presence feel elegant, opulent, and refined; its notes shine like diamonds. It reminds me a lot of Nahema but with a less pronounced ‘green’ side. A sweet, juicy, intoxicating rose sparkles in the first few minutes, but it’s not alone. The most interesting part is how that rose articulates with peach and black raspberry (the latter adding a darker, slightly sweet-and-sour tone). Moss adds a green touch, while bergamot gives a ‘mentholated’ sensation that amplifies its beauty. The shy iris hides well in the background. Sandalwood is subtle but provides the necessary body. The rose note is perceptible, but clearly the fruits are the stars, while the base notes add depth. My review is for the 90s Eau de Parfum. Greedy, seductive, opulent.

The one I wore when I got married in 1998. I’ve kept repurchasing it until they completely discontinued it. I’m furious that Cartier did this, just like with Must II and Delice. Does anyone know where to get it?

Pure elegance and refinement, truly a lady’s scent. So Pretty is my mother’s classic. It’s curious, but it smells just like La Panthère and Baiser Volé: a deep, airy green note, like oakmoss, giving it a timeless feel. It elevates above other fragrances. I remember it as bold and captivating, a bourgeois and romantic cousin to Eau du Soir. As luxurious as the decade’s scents, yet more restrained and elegant. 9/10

Refinement, class, and exquisite elegance in this beautiful bottle. It has magic, beauty, sensuality, and a narcotic charm that does honor to its name: so pretty. Cartier fragrances are the best, and each has its own personality, something hard to find today with so many tiny perfumes that just smell like fruity body splashes and bland sweets. This one lives in my collection alongside so many others I love obsessively.

I love it, it’s super feminine, elegant, and rich.