Note Pyramid
In Red
Where the parfum strength keeps things spare, Armand Basi In Red Eau de Toilette, also an Alberto Morillas composition from 2003, is the more crowded and more playful of the pair, with seventeen materials in it.
The opening will be familiar: bergamot and mandarin orange for brightness, ginger for heat, cardamom for a cool clean spice. Sharp, warm and over fairly quickly.
The heart is where this version separates itself, because there are seven materials in it. Lily and jasmine give the white floral body, rose the depth, peony a watery pink crispness, and pink pepper a dry peppery edge on top. Violet leaf runs green and stemmy through the middle of them, and blackcurrant adds a tart, almost metallic bite. It is a busy bouquet and it stays cheerful rather than becoming heavy.
The base is where the toilette really differs. Oakmoss gives a damp bitter green, palisander rosewood a dry, slightly peppery wood, white musk a soft laundered cleanliness, amber a low sweet warmth, vanilla a smooth sweetness and praline a toasted, nutty sweetness that tips the end of the fragrance towards dessert without quite getting there. Six materials, and the result is a longer, sweeter, more decorated finish. A toilette concentration wears lighter, so expect five hours and a trail that stays near. That suits a fragrance this busy. Spring and summer are the natural seasons, and it works for daytime, for work and for an unremarkable evening. The bottle is pitched at women.
The name comes from Barcelona, from a family knitwear business that turned into a fashion label in the 1980s and showed its collections in Moscow and Paris as well as in Spain. Perfume arrived in 1999 and has always been made under licence.
Please note: images are a guide only. Packaging and bottle design may occasionally differ from those shown due to manufacturer updates or promotions.
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