Love In White

Love In White opens with a jolt of bitter orange zest that's more pith than juice, immediately giving way to a tsunami of white florals that dominates from the first spray. This is Creed's attempt at bottling bridal sophistication, but the result feels oddly synthetic despite the pedigree—there's a chemical brightness hovering above the magnolia and narcissus that never quite settles. The Florentine iris should bring suede and earthiness, yet here it's scrubbed clean, almost translucent, leaving the narcissus to carry the floral weight with its heady, slightly narcotic sweetness. Magnolia adds creaminess without much dimension, whilst the sandalwood base feels more like the idea of Mysore than the real article—smooth and woody, yes, but lacking that milky, incense-like richness you'd expect. The vanilla threads through softly, never quite achieving gourmand territory, instead lending a powdery sweetness that recalls expensive face cream more than patisserie. The ambergris provides subtle salinity, though it's barely perceptible beneath the floral onslaught.

This is for the woman who wears cream cashmere and pearl studs, who wants to smell expensive without making a statement. It's office-appropriate luxury, the sort of fragrance that hovers in the lift after its wearer has exited. The synthetic quality, ironically, gives it a certain timelessness—it doesn't smell dated so much as it never quite smelled natural to begin with. For those seeking a fresh white floral that leans clean rather than indolic, this delivers, though at this price point, you're paying for the silver-topped bottle as much as what's inside it.