Forever Mariah Carey, Girly Grows Up (A Little)

While I wasn't looking forward to giving Forever Mariah Carey a scent test I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. Given Mariah's love of butterflies, pink and super exaggerated femininity. I was expecting to be bowled over with bubblegum sweetness. But just as her turn in "Precious" proved, Mariah is more than just a big voice and a larger-than-life persona. The girl's got heart and this scent has plenty of it. It's sweet but the sweetness is subtle and endearing.

The fragrance takes its name from Mariah's single from the Daydream album. This is sort of a dreamlike scent. It's ethereal qualities mean that it's not particularly strong, perhaps a good thing in this case because too much strength might result in a headache inducing scent. It's billed as a modern opulent floral but while the floral is there the modern and opulent seem in short supply. It's not strong enough to really be opulent and it doesn't seem that modern to me. It seems more vintage, like an antique dressing table complete with a large mirror and a powder puff, glamour but with a girlish giggle. Flowers run deep in this one starting with top notes of neroli and lotus blossom and a heart of tuberose and gardenia. Apple notes provide a little relief from the flowers and white musk and exotic woods anchor the scent. It's a whisper of a scent, at least on me, it didn't last very long leaving only a subtle wisp of tuberose and white musk behind.

Forever Mariah Carey was developed by perfumer Olivier Gillotin. The 1.7 ounce perfume sells for $55. I was given a bottle to review and usually give away the bottle to a reader but in this case the top was broken during shipping so I won't be doing that.