Grapefruit & Vetiver by Vivanel

With July heat on my back, I needed a citrus shower, and this EDT gem was exactly what I was looking for. Without knowing the brand, the surprise was huge: quality, quantity, and price in perfect balance. It contains real oils of grapefruit, vetiver, sweet orange, and bigarade. Instead of being a cliché, it’s a refreshing and lively cocktail, not childish. You feel the sharp freshness, the bitterness, and the sweetness of the peel with its seeds, plus a herbal and earthy touch from the vetiver. Sometimes it smells like bitter orange marmalade with lemon and plants like wormwood. It’s not the same as Guerlain’s Passiflora, but it differs from Light Blue: here there’s no greasy musk, it’s lighter and more volatile, though it maintains a base thanks to a well-dosed vetiver, without the prominent cedar of the other. It’s very similar to Jeanne en Provence’s Verveine Cedrat, but lasts longer: 3-4 hours with a decent trail against the other’s 30 minutes. Price is similar to the French one. An exquisite citrus for summer in the countryside or on the balcony, arrived at the perfect time.

I bought it blind after trying the shower gel from the range. Upon opening, I was surprised: a soft, fresh scent without being cloying. It smells like pure grapefruit and vetiver, with no weird blends. Although it’s incredibly cheap (less than 10 euros for 100 ml), it holds up well; in summer with the heat, it lasts 3-4 hours. It’s simple but has character, something different. It’s not sharp grapefruit, but rather sweet and powdery, fresh, like a mixed fruit juice. Nothing synthetic, it smells like grapefruit soap, that clean scent after a shower with a citrus soap. It reminds me of Guerlain’s Passiflora, if I’m not mistaken. In conclusion: it’s nothing groundbreaking, but it’s very good for what it costs. Ideal for hot summer days, for reapplying several times without spending much, and perfect as a gift detail, hard to find anyone who wouldn’t like it.