FRAGRANCE | By Dolce & Gabbana Woman EDP is proof of the house's capacity for complexity, now seemingly lost

halfwhiteboy - By Dolce & Gabbana Woman EDT 01

The other half of a duo of fragrances and released two years after the original men's version in 1999, By Dolce & Gabbana Woman has also achieved "unicorn" status in the fragrance world, with eBay sharks commanding prices upwards of $300. Save for the leopard print, it sports the same bottle design as By Man.

The opening is filled with a combination of lavender and sweet florals, along with a fleeting citrus. It's both clean and indolic at the same time although it soon decides on staying clean, which is more attune to its overall light and fresh demeanor. A transparent spiciness from ginger appears shortly, giving the scent an aromatic touch but nothing too strong here. The florals are devoid of anything that could weigh them down, so they maintain their purity and lightness, a treatment I also see in Givenchy's Insensé.

After a few minutes, a bitter coffee enters the frame. It's not a dominant note, though, and it's hardly noticeable in the air. That said, the vibe remains fresh and clean, soapy even. Although not the same scent, it's along the lines of Amouage Bracken Woman sans the greenness. Later, the ginger becomes a little more pronounced, adding just a tiny bit of sharpness while the lavender coyly reveals its creamy side. Before long, a light woody facet joins the fray. 

halfwhiteboy - By Dolce & Gabbana Woman EDT 02

The scent oscillates between spicy floral and dry wood laced with a creamy lavender, both underscored by the mild bitterness of the coffee. It later takes on a dry turn, with something dusty or powdery but then goes creamy again before being joined by a mild, clean musk. This fragrance is one restless creation and everything seems to pop up in alternating fashion, which makes for a wonderful experience. 

What I could fault By Woman with, though, is its lack of power. Projection is rather soft and the scent is easily lost after a few hours. It's far from the wild impression I get from its animal print bottle. Nevertheless, it's a really good composition. Although marketed for women, the scent is effortlessly unisex to my nose and undoubtedly versatile. I can't say it's worth the crazy asking prices on eBay because that's relative. What I can say, however, is that why, oh why did Dolce & Gabbana pull this out of the market and instead bombard us with soulless and uninspired fragrances? They need to bring this and By Man back.

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