Delina by Parfums de Marly

After falling in love with Valaya I went to smell this with huge excitement. Despite all the hype I was determined to try it before buying and I’m so glad I did! To my disappointment I didn’t like it at all. The bergamot felt too acidic and sharp failing to settle nicely as it dried. It seemed invasive almost like a mix of cleaning products. Although Delina Exclusif is worse this is a definite no for me.

It has a special charm as they say it smells like a fairytale princess Sleeping Beauty. Very floral highlighting the rose; on my skin it leaves a creamy velvety trail. It’s not a subtle or fresh scent; it clings and lasts at least 10 hours. After six hours sweet vanilla notes emerge with the rose and peony becoming softer and more accessible super feminine like a good girl. I’ve found good clones that don’t project as much and are less intense without the rhubarb/strawberry note but the original is excellent.

Delina is one of those fragrances that deceive you at first if you buy it blind; don’t criticise it immediately just give it time. It’s the perfume that smells like a doll by definition but on my skin something special happens; it sits beautifully and before I know it it surprises me with bursts that illuminate the air as if everything around me takes on a more delicate hue. A beautiful fragrance.

When I smell this perfume the first thing that comes to mind is: feminine and sophisticated. It smells like an expensive bouquet of roses with lychee juice and a touch of bergamot dusted with vanilla and nutmeg with a hint of incense in the base. It’s a wonderful creation rich and delightful shouting spring. If you like roses you’ll probably like it; if not probably not. Don’t buy it blind although yes it’s not your typical rose perfume. As for the price? Definitely expensive quite a few thousand. I bought it for special occasions; in Mexico I bought the inspiration at Perfumes Europeos and it’s quite similar so I can definitely alternate between both. I agree with several people: the price is surprising given there are good dupes at a fraction of the cost but it’s up to each person. It’s not for blind buying as on some skin the incense feels excessive.

Its opening is juicy and exotic thanks to the lychee which mixes with rhubarb and bergamot for a fresh slightly acidic start with a spicy touch of nutmeg. Subsequently it lands in the floral heart where Turkish rose is the absolute queen but she’s not alone: she’s accompanied by peony vanilla and a clean touch of musk reminiscent of freshly changed sheets. In the base noble woods incense and Haitian vetiver settle rounding everything off with elegant sensuality. If you like roses go ahead. If not you can save yourself the purchase.

Delina by Parfums de Marly is a triumph in the niche world for anyone seeking their own feminine signature. The blend of peony, rose, and musk is executed beautifully, complemented by soft lychee and incense that make it harmonious and highly pleasant. While the price-to-quality ratio might be subjective, I recommend giving it a try; it’s fresh, versatile, and I’m sure you’ll earn plenty of compliments.

I’ve had it stored for two years and finally tried it out in the summer heat. WOW… I’m not sure if it’s the maceration or the heat, but fruity notes emerge that I can’t quite identify. With the nutmeg and rhubarb, it feels fresh and green… I’m completely smitten.

I bought it blind and on the first try, I sensed a vintage vibe with strong roses, but the second time, my love for it blossomed; it’s the perfume that has brought me the most compliments. My advice: do not buy it blind.

On me, it smells like a Chloe perfume, perhaps a flanker. It’s like going into your garden and cutting a rose with the leaf attached; a freshly cut rose. I suppose the leafy scent comes from the rhubarb. It smells like a strong rose… I’m not a fan of rose. Thank goodness it doesn’t stay this intense when it dries and blends with the vanilla.

Delina, with a bottle of very poor taste, I thought I wouldn’t like it, but I wanted to be wrong. Although to be honest, I am not, because if I had liked it, I would have to put up with that bottle that clashes with my visual tastes. I retract my statement: the only thing that matters is the perfume. For those talking about originality, try Bella by Nina Ricci, Rhubarbe by Hermès, or Herbae by L’Occitane and let me know. I studied Commercial Engineering and Marketing is my favourite subject; what a brilliant marketing job there is here!

Plato would have been envious: this universal femininity made of red fruit jams, sweet and radiant. It brings back childhood memories, toys, and elegant innocence. To me, Delina smells of strawberries, rhubarb, and raspberries with a touch of nutmeg and roses. It shares that precious reddish aura with Baccarat Rouge, evoking tender, sweet flavours. It’s like a velvet cushion of red fruits embraced by roses, a safe and familiar place where one feels welcomed. It’s that utopia of ‘being a girl’ that always tastes like home, just as we used to play freely in the woods with berry-stained hands.

I tested two sprays and it gave me an instant migraine. I opened the windows because I was suffocating in a cloud of synthetic musk, with a very faint trail of sweet rose at the bottom. I washed quickly but the aftertaste in my throat took a while to disappear. It’s the first thing I’ve tried from this house, and although I was curious about Galloway, I think I’ll pass.

Quentin Bisch is a genius. Personally: I don’t like rose, rhubarb, childish or ‘girly’ scents, nor incense or nutmeg. The lychee, meh. His listed notes, taken together, are neither here nor there. But when smelling it… all combined in harmony, it’s an explosion. It smells divine, in constant paradox: sweet and acidic, childish yet mature, old yet new. To me, it clearly smells like Barbie. It’s an alabaster bomb, for better and for worse. I perceive a very subtle smokiness that gives it depth; perhaps it’s an oud that grants it bipolarity and contrast. That said: its notes can make one dizzy or cause a headache. It’s a fragrance that chooses you, not you choosing it; it leads you, dresses you, but chooses its wearer. I believe in the good and bad reviews because that’s what it is: either you love it or you can’t stand it. What bothers me is that it has presence, though not as before; this isn’t ‘beast mode’, it’s clearly reformulated. I say this with knowledge of the cause; I keep several testers and decants from when it launched and I have the large bottle with a batch from late last year. I see that many ‘niche’ houses are doing this and I think it’s terrible, a rip-off and an absurdity. I suggest they stop investing in small YouTubers to leave the quality we are actually paying for, because this cheap perfume is not it. For its price and characteristics, it’s not for everyday wear; it’s strong and tires quickly. It’s not versatile, neither for day wear in summer or with much heat; it can overwhelm and create olfactory fatigue. But yes, for occasions where you want to feel special. I like this one more than the Delina Exclusif, because that one has a point of petrol and plastic wrist that repels me. But this one doesn’t. This is good, just right. Perhaps I would take away a turn of smokiness, but I also understand that’s its charm. One needs a large inner world and great imagination to create something like this with those notes; all my respect to the creator.

This perfume you either love or hate. I hated it, haha, although I bought it in decant. I can’t stand the incense smell.

Ugh, a tremendous perfume. As with any high-end niche, you can’t buy it blind without testing it on your skin. This gentleman changes so much depending on pH that at this price, you have to keep your eyes open. They say it’s too powdery; if it is, well, that’s fine, but if your skin plays nice with it, it stays in check and that’s an advantage. In my case, despite having everything I love, I relegated it to the back of the cupboard (I couldn’t bear to gift it at that price). And recently, I gave it a second chance and was floored. Was I the problem? Yes, I was. Using a daily subcutaneous injection now, I finally get out. Now I can actually smell the roses; the sweetness and cloyingness have dropped, the citrus notes have resurfaced, and the woods have stopped being hazy, now they’re clean and distant. It’s a perfume that embraces but doesn’t invade. I insist, it’s wonderful and worth every penny, but with care and testing it first.