Sogni del Mare EDT by Antonia's Flowers

I cannot understand the disparaging reviews I have read after wearing Sogni del Mare numerous times now. I agree it's not incendiary, but I happen to like it's casual air and find it a shared scent.

The name means "Dreams of the sea". In all honesty, I don't "get" the sea thing, but understand it can be a contemplative and relaxing fragrance. It does possess a watery disposition through the opening and heart accords and it's like a distant cousin to Cartier's Declaration in that regard.

I admit to noticing a hint of saltiness, but it still doesn't give me the sense of an oceanic presence. I grew up vacationing in New Jersey, so I am familiar with the smell of the ocean. One of my favorite smells to this day is the 20 miles or so before you get to the beach and the smell of brine that accumulates in those shallow marshes. Don't ask me why I love that aroma. I just do and the smell transports me.

Sogni del Mare opens with a citrus and non descript berry accord. The spiciness from cassis and aquatic aura from lotus merge very well with the citric berry. I have read complaints about strength, but I have none. I smell this for hours just from small sample wearings. Normally, I'm the first one bitching about a weak fragrance, but Sogni del Mare is a noticeable scent on my skin. It doesn't project like some, so you'll have to be satisfied with average sillage.

As linear as this is, I would wear this often if I had a bottle. A certain woodiness slowly enters the picture after 20 minutes and simply lays underneath the cassis and lotus. This is a perfect scent for a relaxing social gathering or when you just want to wear something that's smells very good sans any heaviness.

Sogni del Mare warrants a sample wearing if this description intrigues you. I think it's an underrated scent and no doubt give it a thumbs up.