BATH AND BODY WORKS VELVET SUGAR REVIEW

I don't know about you but I absolutely ADORE sugar! I just can't get enough SUGAR! Although it may be a little obsessive, you gotta admit, sugar is pretty damn intoxicating. And I'm not talking about those white crystals you see in your local supermarket. I'm talking about one of Bath and Body Works' most beloved scents, Velvet Sugar! Although Velvet Sugar has gotten plenty of great reviews on the B&BW website, as well as on YouTube and other blogs, Velvet Sugar has been discontinued, meaning that it is no longer available in stores BUT can still be purchased online. I purchased the 3 fl. oz. travel-sized body mist before it was kicked off the shelves.

According to www.bathandbodyworks.com, the main fragrance notes are as follows:

Top Notes: Wild Strawberries, White Nectarine, Pear Blossom, Apple Nectar

Mid Notes: Pink Jasmine, Golden Plum, Red Velvet Creme, Dewy Honeysuckle, Freesia

Dry Notes: Golden Amber, Vanilla, Tolu Balsam, Caramel, Baileys' Irish Creme, Sugared Musk

Before I get into the actual scent, I just want to point out that the package is uber-adorable! It reminds me of Valentine's Day! The bottle is a deep red, almost burgundy color. It has hearts and lattice patterns going all around it. And the pretty blue-laced bow in the front is a great contrast to its red background. It's gorgeous! And it's basically what drew me to this product. As for the fragrance itself, hence the name, it's really sweet. But not sickeningly sweet. It's just right. As soon as I spray this mist, I get a burst of fruity freshness coming from the strawberry and the nectarine. The floral notes are detectable but not as prominent. Then immediately after, I get the warm, delicious sweet notes such as the caramel, red velvet creme and vanilla. 

You're probably wondering what the actual heck is tolu balsam? That is exactly what I thought upon smelling this for the first time. And after some extensive research, I found that tolu balsam is actually a sticky sap-like substance from the Peruvian Myroxylon tree, literally meaning "fragrant wood". But don't be alarmed! This body mist won't make you sticky! The tolu balsam note does have a musky, amber smell that gives Velvet Sugar a bit of mystery and maturity. This is one fragrance that I think is versatile enough to be enjoyed by women of all ages. It's sweet enough to appeal to younger women but sophisticated enough to appeal to older women.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend wearing Velvet Sugar in warm weather, simply because of the musk that may become quite overpowering when mixed with high humidity. But this scent is perfect for fall and especially winter. It's one of those cozy, dessert-like fragrances that is bound to receive plenty of compliments! It's casual enough to wear during the day, but sexy enough to wear on a date night, for example. Because I have not yet purchased anything else in this scent, I wasn't able to layer it. But I will say that wearing the fragrance mist alone, the scent lasts me about 4 hours, which by itself is not bad at all! I can't wait to try out the Velvet Sugar body creams to see how long it can really last!

On a scale of 1-10, I give Bath and Body Works' Velvet Sugar an 8. Still not my FAVORITE but I REALLY REALLY like it nonetheless. It's a shame that B&BW retired it because I'm not really a fan of ordering stuff online. I'm way too impatient to wait for the mail because I want my Velvet Sugar now!
The 3 fl. oz. mist was $6. A full-sized 8 fl. oz. version is available for $14.

Peace!
--Kiki