Vetiver Pamplemousse by Zara

I didn’t like it, but it seemed like a decent quality citrus. The opening is rare, bordering on ugly; there’s grapefruit, and a very natural one, as you say. But it also has a prickly, woolly finish that makes you think of some concoction I tried centuries ago, like a revived Fernet with orange. I checked and it does list tangerine, which fits, though it feels more like plain orange because that’s what the grapefruit’s redouble smells like—dried, aged orange. Fortunately, soon that strange syrup tone evaporates, leaving a super-realistic grapefruit. Not too bitter, not too sharp, not fizzy, just a natural grapefruit that reminds you of the ones in colognes twice as expensive. As for vetiver, I do sense it, but much later; it might be hard to catch because it’s well-camouflaged by the grapefruit’s sparkle. It’s not a woody, resinous, masculine vetiver that would look great here and was what I expected, but the same artificial, sweet vetiver with a fake, wavy green note found in Encre Noire and others in that family, the kind that smells like lab-made cypriol, papyrus, or lemon grass. It’s hard to catch because the grapefruit swallows it whole, but once you isolate it, you can’t stop smelling it. During some phases, there’s also a faint hint of sweet petit grain and neroli. A fragrance that doesn’t make me go ‘wow’ because I don’t resonate with its notes, but I found excellent quality for the price.

It’s a perfume destined to stay, well, ‘perfume’ is a kind way to call it. The Vetiver Pamplemousse belongs to Jo Malone’s first collection for Zara (an affordable brand for most) and has managed to democratize access to niche perfumery. Undoubtedly a brilliant marketing move by Inditex. On sale, you could find a 90ml set with a 10ml travel bottle for just over 6 euros, a real bargain. It’s a simpler scent than I expected: a huge explosion of vibrant, realistic grapefruit accompanied by a vetiver base that I barely perceive. It’s a simple, easy-to-wear scent with short longevity. I drank through a first bottle without realizing it; it gets me used to stepping out of the shower and heading straight to bed, feeling great. I have two backup bottles, though this time I plan to use them more sparingly. Lately, summers have been surprisingly hot in England, so when the heat really kicks in, it will be the perfect time to use it again. P.S.: I had the audacity to spray it on my mother-in-law, and she’s reminded me more than once that she loves using it.

I’m blown away by this perfume; it adds something different to my collection. It’s a mature citrus, nothing like those fresh colognes meant to be sprayed liberally. This needs to be dosed: Vetiver Pamplemousse is acidic and realistic, like a grapefruit opened for breakfast. Don’t expect sweetness; it stays bitter. It’s very well crafted, with notable sillage; 4-5 sprays are noticeable for hours. On my skin, it lasts about 7 hours, great for a pure citrus. Being so particular and linear, I wouldn’t use it daily; it can get tiring, but I’m hooked. I’m dying to try it on a male skin; I think it would be brutal. As a gourmand lover, I’m surprised I like this acidity so much, but it’s not for lazy days; it has a lot of force and doesn’t hide. It’s energizing and high quality. Worthy of a Jo Malone collection. Scent 8/10, Longevity 7/10, Sillage 8/10, Value/Price 7.5/10, Versatility 7/10, Packaging 7/10. Would I buy it again? Yes.

I’m reviewing several scents from a discovery set I bought at Zara and was eager to review this one. Of the three citrus bombs in the collection, it’s the only one I can praise enough to decide on buying. Smelling it directly from the bottle gave me pause; suddenly, the smell of unfiltered orange Fanta came to mind. But on skin, it’s a different story: it doesn’t smell like orange; I really notice the acidity of a very realistic grapefruit, well-balanced with the sweetness of a mandarin, a fresh and dry scent. I still don’t notice the EDP format; for me, it’s more of a fresh water, but I don’t need more; when I’m looking for such a citrusy scent, I want something with this softness and trail. It seems elegant, perfect for a shower after a day at the beach. Of the citrus scents from Jo Malone for Zara I’ve tried (Fleur d’oranger and Amalfi Sunray), this one definitely wins the award for good taste. I like it.

Not bad, but it didn’t say much to me. The opening is very realistic and well-done (finally, bravo!), of grapefruit. It doesn’t make me particularly happy to smell just like grapefruit, but well… It has nothing to envy from Pomelo Paradis by Atelier Cologne. The issue is that it dries down to something too warm, vetivery, but very undefined and soft, with little development (imagination on the nose). Little interest. Value for money is quite good, but there are fragrances at the same price or less that I like much more. The sillage is normal, it settles on the skin quickly although it lasts a few hours. It’s true that I’ve tried niche fragrances of much lower quality costing over $150, but that’s another topic.

Quite disappointing… The grapefruit is realistic and pretty, with that hyper-citrus, tart bitterness so refreshing, but it keeps you waiting for the vetiver with no trace. Even with some imagination, I couldn’t catch it. During the hour and a half that two sprays on the back of my hand lasted, it was all grapefruit with a slight white flower touch (neroli), and, strangely, as the scent faded, the citrus did seem to turn toward orange, but only at the very end. Maybe it would perform better in summer? If so (and ignoring the vetiver promise that never arrives), it could be quite cool as a fresh cologne of just a good grapefruit.

Minimalist in its purest form. As should be understood from the Emotions collection Zara presents, these are more for personal enjoyment in your own space than for the world to smell, because their projection and longevity are low. It’s a sharp opening of grapefruit that quickly dries down to reveal that slightly bitter mandarin, which is what I feel most in the dry-down, mixed with the vetiver that adds softness and creaminess. Perfect for after a shower, for heading to the grocery store, or whenever you really want, because it gives me a mood boost.

What a delightful fragrance for citrus lovers. It’s a wonderful grapefruit—slightly bitter at first, then evolves beautifully with a subtle sweetness. It’s totally wearable, ideal for hot days when you want to smell good without the heaviness of something too complex. I can’t stop smelling my wrists when I wear it. It reminds me (though less intensely) of Dior Homme Cologne and seems great for some kind of layering. The only criticism is perhaps its weak sillage, although its longevity on skin and clothes is far superior to other Zara fragrances.

It’s a divine perfume; it smells like that sweet orange peel you crush and release its aroma without being heavy; it makes you want to smell it over and over again; it’s addictive. The only drawback is that the projection is almost non-existent; on my skin, it lasts 6 to 8 hours. It’s for you, for your pure enjoyment; if you’re looking for a bomb that projects, it’s not, but if you want something delicious, simple, and that you won’t get tired of smelling in your collection, this is the one.

Starts with a burst of grapefruit and tangerine that dominates the scent so strongly you wonder when a man (or maybe even a woman) would want to smell so overtly fruity. It’s fresh and sparkling, but it vanishes in the blink of an eye; after fifteen minutes, the trail is gone. Still, I love it, just not for going out. I use it for personal pleasure, especially to scent the sheets before bed. In that context, it’s perfect: relaxing and refreshing.

If you want to know what this cologne smells like, you just have to buy some assorted citrus Halls cough drops (I assume they still sell them) and find the translucent rose one. It smells exactly like that. Like an artificial tangerine candy mixing juice with peel. Nothing more. After a while, it seems like vetiver comes out, but it smells so little… very disappointing. I thought I’d love it, but I didn’t like it a bit.

A BRUTALLY REALISTIC grapefruit! Lasts quite a bit on the skin and the projection is solid. You don’t need fragrances to leave trails beyond a meter or announce your presence to everyone. What matters is feeling your scent in your aura, having some people notice it and give you a compliment. It smells very similar to the flanker Cartier Declaration L’EAU, with the citrus really standing out.

Unisex and very fresh. Smells like grapefruit peel, that aroma released when peeling it. The longevity was low on my skin, a maximum of 3 hours, projecting for only 30 minutes before settling on the skin. I really liked the scent, it feels very natural and is pleasant for the hottest days. It also works very well for layering with another fresh fragrance or with a slightly sweet touch.

I discovered it right in the summer I started eating oranges, drawn in by the scent. I smelled it accidentally in Zara’s men’s fragrance section and bought it without thinking twice. I love wearing it in the morning after a shower on sunny days when I want to smell something simple, natural, and scream ‘orange.’ It puts me in a great mood and gives me the energy to start my day.

A few days ago I ordered 4 Zara Emotions perfumes online; the mix of Zara and Jo Malone seemed super interesting to me, and I wanted to try several! Vetiver Pamplemousse seems fantastic to me. It’s super fresh, like you just cut a fresh grapefruit. Out of the 4 I bought, this is the one I liked the most. Perfect for hot days.