sniff test: viva la juicy bowdacious

Viva La Juicy Bowdacious eau de parfum 100 ml

She Says:

Putting aside the name’s punny crime against spelling—and I’m trying, really I am— Viva La Juicy Bowdacious is XXX. The heady coconut milk does little to tamper down the combined cloying facets of tiaré flower, poire william, mandarin and honeydew (just smelling it, my fingers feel sticky). It’s the latest flanker to Juicy’s 2008 sugar-spun musk hit but all I smell is syrupy canned Del Monte fruit cocktail I got in my school lunch once a week. 2 out of 4

He Says:

Like the Housewives of Beverly Hills, Vanderpump Rules, and the Bachelorette, there is nothing subtle or understated about Juicy Couture. Gela Nash-Taylor and Pamela Skaist-Levy, cofounders of the brand, brilliantly paired the comfort of Middle American track suits with glitter, sequins and metallic thread for an in-your-face barcalounger glamour. Brittany Spears was an early fan during her prominent tabloid phase where her every club night escapade was chronicled in detail. Almost every photo of her falling out of a limousine showcased the words Juicy Couture spelled across the seat of her trackpants.

So it is no surprise that Juicy Couture fragrances are about big scent statements and getting noticed. Bowdacious is as sweet as a Marmont Mule cocktail at the Chateau Marmot. Tiare Flower, jasmine and ginger lily smell like they’ve been doused in grenadine before being blended with pear, melon and mandarin. The coconut milk, driftwood and tonka bean do nothing to tame the effect. It’s a bit of a sweet mess. 1.5 out of 4

Please note Sniff Test fragrance reviews are the personal opinions of Dave Lackie and Nathalie Atkinson.