Light Blue Escape to Panarea

Have you ever been in Panarea? It is a tiny, teeny island belonging to the Aeolian Islands, so small that there are no roads to accommodate cars. People are ferried by hydrofoil to the other sister islands to get on their ferries back home, and to move around you rely on those oldies, the Piaggio Ape wheelers - but cabrio, of course! It is a fantastic island, tiniest among the volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily, named (of course!) after the demigod of the winds, Aeolus. I spent there the most unforgettable - for numerous, very different reasons - summer of my life, some 16 years ago now. Why I tell you about this? Well, because this fragrance to me embodies the living soul of Panarea and the reason for which it is capable to do so is that Stefano Dolce and Domenico Gabbana have a house there. Panarea is covered - the part around the marina at least - by night blooming jasmine. You can smell them from the hydrofoil in breezy days, way before you reach the "port" - a tiny concrete platform extending for few yards. The sea winds blow their scent from the shores where they sit outward, towards the infinite, crazy crystal clear blue surrounding the island. There are also thousands of indian fig plants, covering here and there, a fruit that reminds somewhat of juicy pears for scent and taste, and bright bougainvilles. It also smells of citrus, but not so strongly. This fragrance offers a window onto such magic world. I loved it, and still do. Impossible for me not to! It is heavy on tonka bean and vanilla, but you can perceive the lemon note (very, very subtle) and jasmine more prominently. It is not as fresh as the original, because it is just a take on it.

I do understand the comparison to Tattoo by Michel Germain. I get a similar citrus and caramel vibe from Panarea. However, Tattoo is much stronger on my skin, almost like the EDP version of Panarea. Hence, while I like Panarea, Tattoo is a love for me at a better price (at least, last I checked). I also find the scents brighter and juicier in Tattoo. Oops. I certainly didn't mean to turn this into a review of Tattoo. Panarea is very nice, sweet and juicy, and comes in a lovely box, albeit with a bottle of disappointing quality. I'm just suggesting to give the other guy a try if you find Panarea a bit light.

Favorite note is pear, and this doesn't disappoint. Loving Goutal Petite Cherie, Sholayered Fresh Pear, Cacharel Premiere Delices, Rosie Jane Leila Lou and Miller Harris Poirier de un Soir, Panera is a sure bet for a love. This is bright, delicious and inexpensive. Blind bought for $30.00.

What a pretty surprise! Went to sample Dolce at Ulta, and liked it...but then noticed Light Blue Escape to Panarea right next to it and spritzed that on too. Its warm, powdery spiciness was so welcoming and enticing in comparison as I sniffed my two wrists. I sprayed it all over me! As the Panarea developed, it smelled slightly sweeter, with definite spiciness--in a GOOD way, like the old Shower-to-Shower powder in perfume form! Fresh, unique, feminine...sold! As I finished my errands in the next store, the cashier asked me what perfume I was wearing, "You smell so good!" I have a new favorite for summer!

It seems that if you don´t like Light Blue, you love this and other way around. I love original LB... To me Escape to Panarea is boring, generic, synthetic and flat, flower-fruity bomb without real flowers or real fruits. Longevity is quite good though.