Eau Divine by Divine : Perfume Review & Sample Draw

There are only a handful of perfume lines that manage to inspire not only admiration but also deep love and devotion resulting in a fan base that is left longingly waiting for their next offering. Divine certainly is the personification of such a niche line, inspiring well-deserved adoration and dithyrambic tributes to their perfumes by perfume writers and critics. I have begun slowly acquiring everything that the brand has ever produced, having fallen deeply in love with each and every one of the perfumes upon first sniff. Even the homonymous Divine by Divine, which I originally shied away from (its strong nature left me with an inexplicable feeling of disquiet and sadness) eventually won me over and is by now one of my favorite evening perfumes. When I was offered the chance to sample their newest fragrance well ahead of its release for a possible review, I jumped at the chance.

Eau Divine is the line’s 9th offering, is name inspired by the fact that it marries freshness with sensuality. Being Divine’s first unisex scent, the contradicting elements do not stop there. This is a perfume that is envisioned to resemble both man and woman, their unique facets brought together in perfect harmony: “…luminous and intriguing, tender and sharp, delicate and provocative, a play of opposites to enhance the union of man with woman.”

This new unisex scent timely plays on the summery cologne theme, but elaborates, venturing further than then norm by adding spicy, sensual, almost oriental aspects, resulting in a beautiful spicy-hesperidic cocktail. Applied on pulse points, Eau Divine quickly fills my imagination with the sun-drenched vistas of the Mediterranean I so long for: Orange groves in the blinding noon light, soft aromatic breezes and a coast like lacework. Aah…! Sweet, juicy citrus with bracing, fresh accents and the citrus-tinged floral character of rosehip are buoyed by the frothiness of aldehydes. Perfectly complimentary, a ginger note - partly citrusy, partly spicy and earthy - helps marry the freshness of the opening with the sensual spicy notes of nutmeg and green cardamom that follow. These spicy notes quietly change the sensory perception of the opening which smoothly transitions from sharp and bracing to a rounder, more sensual heart. The freshness is still there, lively lending cheeriness and joyfulness to the scent, but the undercurrent is beautifully round, bearing the erotic signature of all Divine perfumes. My favorite flower for the warmest season of the year is orange blossom and this perfect summer scent incorporates neroli note in its heart. To help you get a feel for the scent, I’ll say that the neroli here is far more neutral than the effeminate orange blossom note in Fleur du Male as well as being magnificently light and airy, rendering it absolutely perfect for hot weather. The characteristic scent of violet subtly wafts in and out, never taking center stage or ever turning powdery but functioning as a mellower counterpoint to the dry character of the composition. The perfect dryness relents in the drydown, allowing gently sweet, absolutely gorgeous balsamic accents to show through. At this point it feels as though the wearer is no longer wearing any perfume, but as though the skin itself is magically lightly perfumed and exuding the most fabulously erotic musky, ambery scent.

The perfumes of the Divine line have captured my heart with their old-world glamour, with their elegance, their uncompromising femininity but most of all, with their incredibly erotic nature which is present in each and every one. This new unisex entry diverges from the house’s set norm, by presenting a perfume devoid of gender specifications and subsequently missing a great deal of the incredible, red-hot sex-appeal I’ve come to expect from the brand. This is completely understandable, considering Eau Divine is in the classic cologne style. However, those of you that like me love Divine’s perfumes for their animalic, musky bases can rest assured that despite being quieter and far more well behaved, Eau Divine has been infused with a beautiful musk that although perfectly suited to hot summer weather, nevertheless bears Divine’s signature without the shadow of a doubt. This is a true Divine: respectful and true to the classic style of French perfumery, elegant and yes, very much erotic in its own way. With the addition of a summer cologne, the house’s lineup comes ever closer to becoming a complete, high quality perfume wardrobe. Wonderful!

I am giving away three samples of this beautiful, perfect for summer scent that will not be available until the end of July. Simply commenting will automatically enter you in the draw. Due to vacation, I will only be able to post your samples after I return from Greece, however winners will be announced in the coming weekend.


The bottle is offered in both feminine (50 ml, 100 ml & 200 ml) and masculine (50 ml, 100 ml & 150ml) bottles, both styles pictured in this article.