EXCLUSIVE! Prada Parfums Les Infusions de Prada Discovery Box

FAMILY: FLORAL
TOP NOTES: neroli, orange blossom
HEART NOTES: tuberose, jasmine sambac
BASE NOTES: Serenolide, white musk

The perfect summer scent – for enjoying in hot weather, or reminding us of bright sunshine on dull days, we’ve discovered. Neroli and orange blossom – hand-picked in Tunisia and Morocco – have their white floralcy accented by notes of tuberose and jasmine sambac. Daniela Andrier also used a stunning white musk note with a sweet-fruity edge, called Serenolide, to underpin this most luminous of bouquets, which whisks us straight to sun-drenched places.

Here’s Prada‘s own description: ‘Orange blossom absolute and neroli meet luxurious jasmine and voluptuous tuberose. A delicate and charming fragrance with an irreverent edge, augmented through sparkling mandarin water.’ X

FAMILY: FLORIENTAL
TOP NOTES: bergamot
HEART NOTES: almond, star anise
BASE NOTES: tonka bean, heliotrope, musk

A fabulous floral Oriental, we’ve found this completely compelling. Like each of Les Infusions de Prada, it’s at first fresh – via a sweet-zesty note of Italian mandarin. Then as the almond emerges on the skin, Amande develops an almost cloud-like softness, thanks also to tonka bean and vanilla-esque heilotrope – yet in perfumer Daniela Andrier's expert hands, never tips into over-sweetness. (We’d love to smell this on a man, by the way.) Touches of musk in the base add to the billowing sensuality of this particular Infusion.

Here’s Prada‘s own description: ‘Almonds infused in bergamot water with anise notes of star anise. Underlined by tonka bean, it echoes to the bitter sweetness of almond oil…’ X

FAMILY: WOODY
TOP NOTES: neroli, mandarin
HEART NOTES: iris, galbanum
BASE NOTES: cedarwood, vetiver, incense, benzoin

Iris is one of perfumery’s most mysterious and precious notes – prized in perfumery since the time of the Pharaohs. (It takes four years for the iris rhizomes to mature, for use in fragrance creation.) Here, Daniela Andrier expresses iris in a new way, weaving it alongside fresh Italian mandarin and Tunisian neroli, adding green flourishes of galbanum. The base brings its woodiness to the fore, via both cedarwood and vetiver, with the whole interpretation given an intriguing softness by benzoin and incense.

Here’s Prada‘s own description: ‘An idiosyncratic and unexpected interpretation of iris, Iris Cèdre walks a tonal tightrope between the evocative notes of iris and neroli, cedarwood, vetiver, incense and benzoin…’ X

FAMILY: FLORAL
TOP NOTES: neroli, mandarin
HEART NOTES: iris, galbanum
BASE NOTES: cedarwood, vetiver

This is one of the original ‘Infusions’ created by Daniela Andrier for Prada – and from the moment of its launch in 2007, Infusion d’Iris captivated perfume-lovers. It’s smooth and soft all at once, yet – so cleverly – remains clean and fresh throughout. Neroli and mandarin make for an airy introduction to the fragrance, in which the perfumer has fused an exquisite tapestry of fragrance elements, accenting green galbanum, cedarwood and vetiver with the buttery-softness of iris.

Here’s Prada‘s own description: ‘A sensual interpretation of iris: fresh and light, like a tender veil. Precious, elusive and perfectly balanced, reminiscent of the clean scent of crisp linen sheets and naked skin…’ X

FAMILY: FLORAL
TOP NOTES: mandarin
HEART NOTES: carnation
BASE NOTES: patchouli, musk, sandalwood, styrax

We predict that carnation will be swinging back into fragrance fashion after Daniela Andrier‘s embrace of this floral element in an entirely modern, wearable (and irresistible) creation.

The perfumer’s used other spicy elements to tease out and accent the natural spiciness of the flower itself. First, though, you’re greeted by warm-yet-zingy Italian mandarin. Then as the body warms the fragrance, the carnation blossoms delicously, those spices make themselves known – and the fragrance’s sensual qualities emerge. Patchouli, musk, sandalwood and Honduran styrax – a beautiful resin – prove positively addictive, in the dry-down.

Here’s Prada‘s own description: ‘Spicy notes of carnation are infused with sandalwood water, mandarin essence and styrax for a fragrance that is both sensual and fresh…’ X