Perfume Review: Hugo Boss Pure Purple

Pure Purple, the latest scent from Hugo Boss, launched in January 2006, was inspired by calissons, “a traditional confection from Aix-en-Provence, made from powdered almonds, sweet melon and candied orange.” (Osmoz) The description boasts all sorts of appealing notes like “black” violet, suede and marzipan. I have never been a fan of Boss’s scents and these three notes were the only reason I made an effort to locate a sample of Pure Purple. I should have known better. Pure Purple starts with a slightly sweet fruity-floral accord; I can only assume that the flower is cyclamen and the fruit is nectarine, because neither note is very distinct. And this really is all there is to this scent; no “black” (and only a hint of regular) violet, no almonds, and certainly no suede, just your average, no, strike that, less remarkable than average, fresh (in the earlier stage of the drydown, almost aquatic-fresh) fruity-floral fragrance, absolutely indistinguishable from the legion of other such scents already available on the market. Please do not be tempted by the promise of a delicious olfactory dessert and/or suede. You are bound to be disappointed, there is nothing gourmand about this scent and the suede note is absolutely non-existent. Pure Purple is already available at Scentiments, $35.89 for 1.6oz. Tomorrow- Angel Rose by Thierry Mugler.