I tried a sample of Vilhelm Parfumerie’s Dear Polly last year and absolutely fell in love. I picked up a bottle during Liberty’s 15% off sale and managed to earn some cashback through TopCashBack too which made it a bit more affordable. At £145 for 50ml, Vilhelm Parfumerie definitely counts as a luxury brand. I think Dear Polly is one of their best sellers, but Poets of Berlin and Mango Skin are also popular fragrances.
Firstly, can we talk about the bottle and presentation? The perfume came in a lovely bright yellow box, and the bottle itself is cute. The bottle is quite flat compared to other perfumes, and is made of heavy spun glass with a bright yellow lid and label. All of Vilhelm’s bottles come in the same bottle design, and it is just chef’s kiss.
Dear Polly is marketed as a black tea fragrance, and it does smell a bit like tea but it’s much more than that. It has bergamot and green apple top notes that adds a bit of citrus and sweetness, middle notes of black tea and base notes of oakmoss, black amber and musk. It’s zingy and uplifting, but the oakmoss and amber give it some depth and warmth. It does have a certain smokiness running through it, but the citrus notes prevent it from becoming too heavy or cloying.
In terms of longevity and sillage, it performs well. I get about 6 hours wear, and when I wore it on a night out, the person behind the bar told me they liked my perfume. They said it reminded them of a spa, and I can understand that – it definitely has a calming effect. In terms of wearability – it is very wearable. I can’t think of any occasion where it would be inappropriate to wear this perfume. I think it can work in most seasons too as it isn’t heavy or cloying, but has enough depth for cooler months.
At £145 for 50ml, Dear Polly isn’t the most affordable. However I think it’s signature scent worthy and likeable enough to justify the price. I can’t imagine anyone finding this offensive, yet it isn’t “boring” and projects to receive compliments.
Have you tried Dear Polly or anything from Vilhelm Parfumerie?
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