I’m a beauty editor with an exceptionally sweet tooth. I can’t go a day without a couple of squares of dark chocolate (Lindt 70% cocoa, in case you were wondering), and I can never turn down a dessert in a restaurant. And this affinity for sweetness carries in my perfume tastes, too. Yes, I have a soft spot for gourmand perfumes. While I don’t love overly saccharine scents, I’m always on board for a hypnotic vanilla perfume or creamy, milky scent.
So, when I found out that there was a new cocoa-inspired Zara perfume collection dropping, I knew I had to try them immediately. While I’m a huge lover of luxury perfumes, I can denying the appeal of Zara’s expensive-smelling scents that come at a more accessible price-point. Sure, they might not last quite as long as some of my luxury favourites, but coming in at under £30, I can see past it.
(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)
Last week, I finally got my hands on the Zara Cocoa perfume collection, and I’m seriously impressed. Scroll ahead for my honest reviews.
Zara Cocoa & Latte
(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)
Zara
Cocoa & Latte Eau de Parfum
Key notes: White chocolate, Chantilly cream, suede
Smells like: White chocolate, vanilla and a new car with a suede interior
I want to let it be known that I don’t love leathery perfumes (the smell of a new car is one of my least favourite smells—sad times for me), but even I can still appreciate the beauty of this suede-like scent. You see, it gets creamier as the day goes on—it’s like melted white chocolate and vanilla-spiked milk drizzled over expensive suede. It’s warm, cosy and smooth. According to “PerfumeTok”, it shares a similar resemblance to the cult favourite Bianco Latte, which comes in at five times the price of Zara’s. It’s not readily available in the UK, so it’s great alternative to try if you want something with a similar mood. I found it lasts for ages on the skin (as I write, I sprayed it six hours ago and it still smells as noticeable as when I first applied it) so if you want a creamy, suede scent to get you noticed, you’ll love this.
Zara Cocoa Sunset
(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)
Zara
Cocoa Sunset Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Passion fruit, peach, dark chocolate
Smells like: Eating chocolate-dipped fruit an exotic beach
If you like fruity scents, allow me to point you in the direction of Cocoa Bliss. Zara describes it as having “exotic notes of passion fruit”, and that definitely comes through on the initial spritz, along with ripe and juicy peach. It feels very holiday-inspired and reminds me of the indulgence of a Magnum advert. Once it settles onto the skin, you get a bit more of the dark chocolate that prevents it from being overly sweet. It’s delicious. The only downside was that this one didn’t last as long as Cocoa Latte.
Zara Cocoa Bliss
(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)
Zara
Cocoa Bliss Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Milk chocolate, whipped cream, vanilla
Smells like: A vanilla dessert with whipped cream, fruit and pistachio
On the first smell, this immediately reminded me of a Sol De Janiero’s perfume mist, specifically Cheriosa ’62. Although it doesn’t have any fruity notes listed on Zara’s website, to me it smells like exotic fruits and toasted pistachios with lashings of vanilla whipped cream. It’s probably the least chocolatey of the three and leans more fruity than gourmand—think breezy summer days and lazing under the late afternoon sun. It’s not as heavy as Cocoa Latte or Cocoa Bliss, but a lighter take that you might prefer if you don’t love overly sweet scents.