Arrepio by Natura

I was gifted this for my birthday over five years ago. I find it perfect for cold days when I want something warm and spicy. Amid the sweet caramelised base, you can detect those flowers wrapped in pink pepper, sandalwood and cinnamon. It seems intense with good projection, though on skin it dries down to become super tender.

A fresh winter scent that tempted me to try this top-tier version of Amó. It’s like Ekos Ishpink but much creamier, velvety and lactonic. You can detect the cinnamon, sandalwood, white and pink roses with a soft vanilla touch. Perfect for feeling cosy and sensual on chilly days. More for personal use due to its projection, but the value for money is impeccable.

I bought this lotion because I had fallen in love with Amó Xodó years ago and wanted to see how her relatives compared. At first, I didn’t like it; it seemed too sweet, but as it developed, it won me over until it became my favourite Natura lotion, quite sensual. Unfortunately, I’ve lost it and am searching for a bottle, even though I know they are discontinued. This lotion introduced me to the taste of sweet woody scents. I recommend it. It doesn’t resemble Xodó, which was more woodsy and fresh. Arrepio is one of those fragrances that makes you press your nose to the bottle to inhale deeply. I miss this perfume dearly.

I was given several samples when it was in the catalogue and I was head over heels, finding it super relaxing and even sexy. Now I find it more masculine, spiced and I absolutely dislike it; it even irritates me to have it. I’m very glad I didn’t buy the bottle.

It smells of spices and honey, a warm and interesting scent. I used up a full sample, but the longevity on my skin is non-existent. I won’t be purchasing it for that reason.

27/6/18. Cold autumn. I just tried it on my skin, generously. At first, it reveals its kinship with classic Amó, but it quickly changes direction. I detect no fruity or aquatic notes. It is well-woody, with sandalwood standing out from the heart notes. The cinnamon and pink pepper are not as potent as in Amó Chamego, yet they are present for the first two to three hours. As it dries down, delicate floral notes emerge to counteract the dryness of the sandalwood/pepper/cinnamon trio, along with some of the benzoin’s roundness. By the third hour, the softer woods and flowers gain intensity. There is a very mellowed, mature rose perfectly fused with the sandalwood. It has a slight unisex profile; I can easily imagine a man wearing it perfectly. The Natura team has taught us that some perfumes in the Amó and Humor lines admit unisex use. It is certainly not one of those that would respond to the epithet ‘ultra-feminine’. It is very warm and comforting but does not project much; rather, it invites close, personal interaction. I will buy it when I can. Edit, Feb 2019: After the initial burst of pink pepper, it becomes a sandalwood-based perfume. It is a sweet, warm sandalwood that stays close to the skin. It does not last a huge amount of time, but half its life is skin-scent. It’s as if you forget you are wearing it, and then a gentle wave hits you, like a caress of caramelised sandalwood (without the salty facet). It does not have many declared notes, yet practically all are distinguishable. It is not showy; it is a ‘home fragrance’, one of intimacy and comfort, for comforting yourself while working from home or in small, cosy environments. I cannot imagine a nervous person wearing this perfume. It is not super-special, but nowadays such fragrances are rare, so focused on sandalwood, so intimate and seductive in their own way. I believe that is its distinctive characteristic. 23/03/2020: I smelled it again today. In these months, I have encountered several perfumes with cinnamon (Shiraz, Amó Chamego, Luna Rubí, Essencial Supreme, and even vintage Opium). Although I eagerly await the end of quarantine to buy a vintage miniature of Cinnabar, I firmly believe that Natura handles the warm, aromatic, and humid cinnamon accord very well. It will not please everyone, but they do a very good job. In this Amó Arrepio, cinnamon is one of the main notes, acting as a bridge between the pink pepper of the opening and the sandalwood of the base, while the floral accompaniments shine above it.