Profumum Vanitas Perfume Review
Profumum Roma Vanitas Eau de Parfum starts as spun cotton candy, sweet enough to give your tooth an ache, before deepening as lemon-orange citrus seemed to temper some of that pure sugar intensity. Despite not being listed at all, it smelled more like raspberry syrup over time as amber, possibly myrrh, emerged, though sandalwood was a missed note entirely on my skin. It was a linear scent, so if you like the first half hour, it seems likely that you’ll continue to enjoy it throughout its notably long-wear!
- top notes: vanilla
- heart notes: orange blossom, myrrh
- base notes: sandalwood
It opened as spun cotton candy, intensely sugary and sweet, before it deepened with orange blossom, which gave it more depth and nuance and seemed to cut some of the sugary sweetness. It had the effect of bringing out the vanilla, rather than just pure sugar, and making the fragrance feel warmer. After a half hour, the citrus dropped and left it smelling almost like raspberry syrup.
There ended up being no real shifts through the drydown; it remained a very sweet, raspberry-like syrup on me as the sandalwood didn’t seem to emerge as a detectable note.
Application
For testing, I used 1/3 of a 1ml sample vial dabbed to the underside and topside of my wrist area on my left arm. I used an unscented moisturizer prior to applying the scent as this is also my swatching arm (aka, incredibly parched at any given moment) as I found scent did not hold well here otherwise.Â
Longevity
It lasted for eight hours until it was a skin-scent and about 16 hours before it was quite difficult to detect on my skin. The sillage and projection were moderate with both dropping after three hours of wear.
Personal Thoughts
It’s been a very long time since I’ve even smelled a perfume that was candy-sweet! It’s not a scent I dislike, it’s just not one I’m sure I’m ready to commit to wearing for 16+ hours. This one didn’t have strong projection, which is my preference, but it was exceptionally long-wearing, so that makes me more excited to try some other offerings from the house in the coming weeks.
Available Sizes
- 100ml for $275
- 18ml for $93 (harder to find size in the US)
- 0.7ml sample for $6
Somehow, I feel like this one would be just far too sugary for me personally. If I want vanilla and orange, I do have a small vial of each around here somewhere. Although I haven’t seen them in almost two years when I moved here? Idk. But, I did use to layer them for a creamsicle scent for summer, and I liked it for casual wear.
Yes Nancy, the Byredo Sundazed is described as orange, vanilla, orange flower, cotton candy and unfortunately it is pure, unadulterated grapey cotton candy on me.
Lol, at my sister in law’s wedding she doused everyone in vanilla and my husband now hates anything vanilla (except ice cream!) I can handle some of it, it was a nice wedding, the marriage not so much!
I am excited that you have started to review perfumes, especially the niche perfumes! This is a house I’m excited to see you review. There are so many influencers that review perfumes but the majority are men. While I appreciate their reviews, I wish there were more women reviewing the scents. Thank you for doing this Christine, I always appreciate your reviews!
So happy to hear you’re enjoying them, Dolores! Thank you!
Profumum is always such great quality; love them 🙂
I’d love to see a comparison to Confetto! I believe that one’s also very sweet.
Confetto is very almond-vanilla – nutty, creamy, sweet but nowhere near as candy-sweet as Vanitas!
I love this one, I have worn it a lot! It smells like musky a bit smoky raspberries and a touch of licorice, it is a bit sweet but also has dimension! Grown up sweet, not at all like the Aquolina type perfumes
Have you always reviewed perfumes? If not, I’m ecstatic that you are! I’m a huge fraghead and have been wanting to try Vanitas for years. I had a vial of the orange vanilla cake one (Dulcis in Fundo). I’m a creamsicle/orange cake fan with fragrance and I’m currently very much enjoying an indie company’s, Arcana Craves, Creamsicle layering note. Very realistic and not at all cloying or synthetic.
A new-ish thing! I started around the beginning of the year, so not new any more, but if you haven’t been here in a few months, then new to you 🙂