Acqua di Parma Lavanda Tonica - Scented Review

Acqua di Parma Lavanda Tonica smells like an old school fragrance and tells the olfactive story of a Gentleman from a past century. Lavanda Tonica is indeed tonic and energetic but with a certain elegance.

Name: Lavanda Tonica
Brand: Acqua di Parma
Concentration: Eau de Toilette
Year of launching: 1999
Production: Discontinued
Persistence: Good
Sillage: Good
Notes: Lemon, Bergamot, Lavender, Orange blossom *The perfume notes have been written as described on Basenotes.

Acqua di Parma  Lavanda Tonica begins with very sharp and crisp Citric notes. These Citric notes might remind one of an Old School Cologne but they quickly show a sour facet. Lavanda Tonica has a very energetic Citric start for about fifty seconds. When the Lavender tames the Citrus, the sour note does not bother me but I do find it to be mildly unpleasant when the Citric note is dominant.

Lavanda Tonica has an inside battle going on, between the Citric notes and the Lavender. The Lavender is a little something of its own. It smells half soapy, half powdery and a little dusty. It smells like the dry Lavender one sprinkles around the house for a pleasant smell and to keep pesky moths at bay. To my nose, dry Lavender smells powdery and dusty at the same time, and I can trace this type of smell in Lavanda Tonica. I can also sense the presence of a balsamic undertone that shows up as a warm facet.  When the soapy Lavender is not fighting for the Limelight with the Citric notes, it shines in all its glory and spreads an elegant scent.

Photo by Artist Jessica Ruscello on Unsplash

Lavanda Tonica is very Old School, smelling like a Barber Shop from another century, where slightly sour citric notes and soapy, dusty but elegant Lavender are the smell of a clean well-groomed gentleman. I can picture a freshly shaven and groomed gentleman from a past century leaving the barber-shop. He has a moustache, a suit, a newspaper under his right arm, one cigarette in his left hand and a spring in his step. He marvels at the beginning of the Spring and enjoys the sun while walking on the street of Parma. 

Seated man with a cigarette (Zittende man met een sigaret)

Image by Anonymous Artist belonging to The Rijksmuseum -The Museum of the Netherlands- in Amsterdam

Let’s talk about the packaging: 

Acqua di Parma Lavanda Tonica has the old, simple square bottle. If you are planning to buy a bottle or your bottle is on its way, allow me to give you a piece of advice from my personal experience. Firmly Shake the bottle before applying the perfume. First time I applied the perfume from my bottle I sincerely believed it was either improperly stored or someone tampered with it, because it smelled very weak. In my complete desperation to sniff even the faintest trace of perfume I spritzed six times and ten minutes later, Lavanda Tonica started hitting me with its tonic side. I must say it was very tonic, I was typing on my computer and my eyes literally started watering from all the “tonic” coming my way. 

So… shake your bottle before applying and try not to over apply, about two or three spritzes and you should be fine. Another reason why I do not recommend over applying it but rather reapplying it (if one feels necessary) is Lavanda Tonica’s sillage. For about two hours it will very present but it will quickly fade into a skin scent.  Acqua di Parma Lavanda Tonica is rather whimsical when it comes to persistence, sometimes vanishes after four or five hours and sometimes you can still faintly sense it the next day.

Frankly, I am not surprised that Lavanda Tonica is no longer on the market. I believe it could have had a chance at survival only in the portfolio of a niche house but not under the guidance of LVMH. Acqua di Parma Lavanda Tonica is definitely very Old School and has a Vintage influence. Lavanda Tonica’s chances of surviving among the fragrances that cater to the masses are very slim. Mainly, because it is not trying to be a crowd pleaser, it smells very independent, like an old-school gentleman from another century with a certain prestige and elegance. 

Gioachino Rossini : The Barber Of Seville - Overture

In the end, I would like to add a small advice to my Dear Reader. Perfume is like a work of art, it strikes different chords within each individual. The interpretation of a work of art is very personal, profound and unique for each and every human being. If possible, test a perfume for yourself after reading a review. Also, do not forget to Love, Enjoy and Wear your Perfume of choice Proudly.

What is your favourite Lavender fragrance? Let me know in the comment section.  

Thank you for reading this Scented Review and I wish you a Beautifully Scented Day! 

Disclaimer: My own scented opinion. Review based upon a bottle from my own collection. 

SOURCES:
Images:

Rijksmuseum - The Museum of the Netherlands - In Amsterdam [Accessed 1th February 2018]

Unsplash.com [Accessed 1th February 2018]

Information: 
Basenotes.net [Accessed 1th February 2018]