Bella by Nina Ricci

I’m writing this as one of the final reviews for the Green Apple, as it seems Nina Ricci is closing the line, leaving only the classics: Rouge Crush and Venus. It opens lush, sweet yet fresh, like morning dew. Then a jelly-like rose syrup emerges, with a crisp, acidic fruity note—perhaps rhubarb—that gives the green apple some air. Everything is very fresh and sweet. It leaves a herbal, liquorice trail but remains green. What a pity I didn’t buy it before stock ran low. Mine is from 2017, so I don’t expect spectacular longevity, but I will cherish it dearly because the bottle is beautiful.

It is discontinued in Chile, but I managed to get it from the US a couple of months ago. I love citrus and green notes, so I bought it blindly. The opening is refreshing and rich, thanks to the blend of sweetness and citrus acidity with green rhubarb as the dominant note. I don’t detect the florals, only the initial acidic, sweet, and herbal phase, followed by a musky, vanilla base. It has poor longevity and fixation, but it succeeds in refreshing during heat. I like to over-apply it to enjoy the opening again, but on me, the vanilla becomes very potent when dry and I dislike its persistence. Unfortunately, the bottle is more ‘Bella’ than the fragrance itself. I enjoy the refreshing opening but am not fascinated by the whole composition; perhaps I would prefer a Be Delicious by DKNY. The bottle is a treasure, like something from a fairy garden to be treasured, but I won’t buy it again due to international shipping. Anyway, I will enjoy every last drop of this lovely Green Apple.

I love it! It’s a perfume that puts me in a good mood; I adore the citrus touch.

My favourite Nina; I own the Nina Rose, but it feels too tender to me. This one has that acidity and sweetness that I adore; it feels like a super wearable fresh rose, a mature citrus in the style of Light Blue Forever. I tested them side by side on my skin, and they are like twin sisters to my nose.

This is a party of citrus and freesia, but it is a non-sweet citrus; I feel it’s the acidic part of the peel, a tiny hint of talc (the only thing felt of the rose), rhubarb is noticeable, and the vanilla is absent to my nose. Although not listed, I sense a soft wood. This is bottled summer joy; I feel it even lifts my spirits. It has praiseful projection and lasts about 6 to 8 hours, but it is worth it. The hotter it gets, the richer it becomes. Recommended!

Blind buy and a total hit. I wore it on a sunny 24-degree day and the performance and trail were excellent. On me, it’s like a creamy passion fruit foot: acidic at first, but then it settles and becomes rich, vanilla and woody. I didn’t smell much rhubarb or flowers, mind you, it’s not for everyone.

Successful blind buy! The star is the rhubarb, then a soft vanilla appears, while the other notes are absent. Packaging 10/10, scent 8/10, longevity 3/10, sillage 2/10. I love the scent but wouldn’t buy it again because it lasts nothing and doesn’t project. If it came in a stronger concentration, it would be a winner. Perfect for summer, very fresh; if you like fresh and fruity perfumes, this is for you.

It started as a perfume I hated, then I ended up loving it; it’s one of my favourites: an acidic green apple with a sweet touch, addictive.

If you’re looking for a fresh, different scent with good sillage and you like rhubarb… THIS IS YOUR PERFUME! Since I first smelled it, I fell in love. I’m already on my second bottle and considering a third. It’s one of the few fragrances in my collection I buy again when they run out. These are addictive scents you can’t do without. I love wearing it in summer: it gives me vitality, happiness, and makes me feel fresh and motivated.

I love it. I tried it with a sample and fell in love. Despite always being drawn to more floral fragrances, this is one of my favourites. Pity they told me in the shop they’d stopped making it.

At first, on the blotter, I sensed something very sweet that I liked. However, once I wore it, the scent felt strange, a duality between accepting and rejecting it. For me, the rhubarb and bitter green apple dominate. Personally, it has lasted for many hours on my hair and clothes.

Sweet, sticky, sharp, and synthetic. I preferred the Les Sorbets version. This one feels heavy and dry with too much musk that made me dizzy. It is much sweeter than green.

I bought it in a hurry because I wanted something more feminine for the office. The opening is lovely, but it lasts only ten minutes before evaporating, even from my clothes. I regret buying it quickly without testing it on my skin. The quality is extremely poor; it loses almost its entire composition within half an hour and leaves behind a fragile fruity scent.

It’s delicious. I own many expensive and cheap perfumes, and this one is always praised; it must be my skin’s pH that highlights certain notes. I can really smell the rhubarb, rose, and mandarin. Even my dentist said, ‘what a delight’. It’s joy in a bottle. I don’t see it for major parties or the office, but rather for picnics, visits to parents, hanging out with friends, or a quiet evening out. It’s not sexy or super standout, but very pleasant if you like gourmand scents. It’s not for older people, but that’s just a label; it’s how you want to feel.

I bought it by mistake this summer and I loved it. I’m not a fan of citrus, but here there’s an evolution from citrus to bitter to sweet that is a shock. Perhaps that’s why opinions are divided. The rhubarb lasts the whole time; the apple sometimes seems sharp but isn’t annoying, it becomes addictive. I don’t know if I’ll buy it again. Oh! The bottle, the colour, and the little insect are absolutely beautiful.