Desnuda by Emanuel Ungaro

Desnuda was one of the last attempts by the Ungaro house. It was a failure; the perfume itself seemed to anticipate the decline the house was heading towards, a decline that would shortly be confirmed with the departure of Emanuel himself (a disciple of Balenciaga) from his brand. Fifteen years later, Ungaro continues to sleep the sleep of the just, waiting for a new creator to give it a good shake and resurrect it. Desnuda wasn’t bad, but it was a perfume with little personality, almost watery. More than a fragrance, it was a skin scent or a luxurious mist, as the trail was quite short. The brush it included seemed to intuit the nature of the perfumed mist that defined it. The brush at the time seemed very sensual to me; the touch of those cold, perfume-dampened bristles against a neck or wrist had a very lovely erotic vibe. As for the essence, it was nothing more than an oriental florifruit in the 2000s style: exotic and sexual sandalwood notes, very light vanilla, peach, osmanthus… I recall that at first the clash of cinnamon with cardamom and pepper didn’t work too well; if my memory serves, they produced horrible medicinal and spicy nuances, in the style of the feminine Kenzo Jungle, something that was later lost to end up in a bed of flowers, spices and woods that were very imprecise, blurred and indistinct, where no note stood out. It also had a diluted density, which I don’t think was a mistake, because not always, or at least I believe so, does one need to empty half a bottle of a witch’s potion that causes strokes in our wake. In Desnuda, both the name and the application up to the aroma presented themselves as an intimate act, of grooming, coquetry and seduction. It spoke very quietly, but was full of notes we had already felt much more powerfully in Dolce Vita and so many others. Here those fruity wood chords had the packaging of a sheer curtain on a canopy moved by a breeze. Desnuda smelled of lingerie, of a belly curve where if you go lower you’ll find something else, and more than sex, the promise of sex. It was terribly sexy, erotic, and as happened with many female launches of its time, almost almost unisex. Besides, it had nothing perverse; it possessed a luminous sexuality, for all audiences. I have no idea how the current spray bottles are doing; I imagine the formula has dropped several quality scales because the Ungaro house itself is almost dead. The one I remember from 2002, the one with the little brush, was a boring perfume with zero personality, but to smell, it smelled splendidly.

Truth be told, it’s the first Ungaro perfume I’ve smelled and I loved it. The bottle has simple yet coquettish lines. I really like the fragrance. The name is a hit, because it truly evokes smooth, bare skin, just perfumed with moisturiser. It’s feminine, sensual, creamy, tender and warm. In my opinion, it’s not for very young girls or very mature women; I’d say it’s for women aged 35 to 45. I wouldn’t wear it in warm weather as it doesn’t have enough freshness, but it’s perfect for autumn and winter and more for day than night. It seems like a perfume that can’t disgust anyone and has its own originality, setting itself apart from the others. I would buy it again, and that says a lot, especially since I don’t say the same about other much more expensive perfumes. It doesn’t seem powdery to me, as Fragancia.net states in the composition. I don’t usually like powdery perfumes as they seem outdated, and this one isn’t. Its longevity is also good; I can still smell it several hours later. As for the trail, I can’t say anything because no one has commented on the perfume I’m wearing yet. The letters with the name on the bottle fade in a few days of use; it looks like they might have been painted with a marker.

Truth be told, it’s the first Emanuel Ungaro I’ve tried and it has caught me. The bottle has simple yet coquettish lines. I absolutely love the fragrance; the name is a stroke of genius because it smells like smooth, bare skin, just with moisturiser on. It’s feminine, sensual, creamy, tender and warm. In my opinion, it’s not for very young girls or very mature women; I’d say it suits women aged 35 to 45. I wouldn’t wear it in the heat as it lacks freshness, but it’s perfect for autumn and winter, and more suitable for day than night. It seems like a fragrance that can’t offend anyone and has its own originality, setting itself apart from the rest. I would buy it again, and that says a lot, especially since I don’t say the same about other much more expensive perfumes. It doesn’t seem powdery to me, as Fragancia.net suggests; I don’t like powdery scents as they seem outdated, and this one isn’t. The longevity is also good; I can still smell it several hours later. As for the trail, I can’t say anything as no one has commented on the scent I’m wearing. The letters of the name on the bottle fade in a few days of use; it looks like they were painted with a marker.

I bought it because they said it was a dupe of Dior’s Dolce Vita and they didn’t miss. It’s very similar to the one I had in the 90s, which I never found again with that same fixation and intensity. The bottle is pretty; it no longer brings a brush or anything exotic, it’s the normal atomiser. The scent is perfect for those who miss the Dolce Vita. It’s not the same, yes, but even the Dolce Vita currently sold from time to time has little to do with the one from that era. Besides, this little Ungaro perfume costs four times less, the trail is moderate and the longevity acceptable. If I wear it to sleep in, I can still perceive it the next day, although more on clothes than on skin. The scent is spicy and warm; in my mind it’s linked to champagne, but far from being fresh it’s more torrid. I don’t know if it makes sense, but it’s like drinking extra brut champagne on a cruise down the Nile, on a very hot twilight, crossing paths with a spice boat. Fortunately, on my skin it doesn’t take a bitter or medicinal tone. I hope they keep manufacturing it.

A very pleasant perfume that balances spices, flowers and fruits without anything dominating. It has no projection; you have to get very close to smell it, and only someone hugging you will notice it. It could be a flaw or a virtue depending on taste. The brush for applying it is comfortable and fun. It lasts about four hours and fades sooner with a light wash.