Zadig & Voltaire This is Her! Review

It’s not often I fall spectacularly, head over heels in love with a perfume from the moment I first inhale its scent. Usually, it’s a slow build. I sniff something, like it, smell it some more, waft my wrist under my nose for a while and then, gradually, the scent weaves its way into my affections. Not so with Zadig & Voltaire This is Her!

Instead, this is a scent that I fell in love with from the very first spray. Its warm, enveloping richness hit me and within seconds I was hooked. Convinced, instantly, that I’d found my forever, signature scent.

If you know the brand Zadig & Voltaire you’ll know that they epitomise effortless chic with an edge. Their clothes make you look pulled together,  but there’s an edginess to them too. Every item is understated, but with an element of rock n’ roll lingering at the edges.

So too with the perfume. In a market saturated with fragrances that often smell similar or remind you of something you’ve smelt before, This Is Her! smells refreshingly unique.

It’s sultry, warm, rich and heady, but with a definite undercurrent of something sexy and slightly dangerous, too.

Zadig & Voltaire describe this as a gourmand wood floral. It has top notes of jasmine and pink pepper, a chestnut heart and an intense base of Sandalwood which combine to give it its unique, spicy floral scent.

To me, it smells romantic, warm and incredibly feminine, but like a woman who is strong, independent and just a little bit wild, too.

My feeling is that if you like the rich muskiness of Jean Paul Gaultier Classique then you’ll also like This Is Her.  Although, there’s definitely more depth to the Zadig & Voltaire fragrance. Somehow it smells sexier, richer, spicier and more exotic than the Jean Paul Gaultier.

The packaging, in keeping with the  Zadig & Voltaire brand, is refreshingly understated and monochrome. In some ways this is at odds with the complexity and richness of the scent. Nonetheless, I like its clean lines and the way it doesn’t try too hard.

Zadig & Voltaire This Is Her! is one of a duo of scents, This is Her! for women and This Is Him! for men.

The bottles, white for the female, black for the male fragrance, have one smooth edge and one that looks like it’s been carved from rock. However, when you put the two fragrances side by side they slot together perfectly and become like one.

Of all the fragrances I’ve smelt in the last few years, this is the one that has captivated me more than any other. I’m adding it to my list of all time favourite perfumes immediately. If you smell one new fragrance release this autumn, trust me, and make it this one.

Zadig & Voltaire This Is Her is released on 29th August here and goes nationwide from 12th September 2016.