212
Carolina Herrera (1997)

A simple fresh floral scent. It smells nice and would make a good gift. Based on what I've smelled so far, CH doesn't seem to make a lot of polarizing scents for women. I've enjoyed most of their women's fragrances that I've tried.

212 was my first international designer fragrance back in the 90s so I thought it would be nice my first review to be about it. I clearly remember the day when I made acquaintance with 212: it was a hot summer day; I was working and entered a drugstore with a friend in order to get her some painkillers. While she was shopping for the medicine I started browsing the store, specifically at the perfume counter. I was immediately attracted to the silver package with the crystal clear liquid in it. The sales attendant offered me to try it, which I did. The rest of the afternoon I spent sniffing my wrist and feeling cooled down in face of the brazing heat. A week later I went back to the drugstore and acquired my first bottle of 212. It became my first signature fragrance and I recall receiving many compliments, both from men and women. One in particular was from a male friend who stated 212 was how I should always smell like. My passion for this fragrance lasted until international designer fragrances became more accessible in my country, due to globalization. And globalization was also one of the reasons I started smelling 212 in many other women around me. I kept it as my main scent for a while, but later became bored both with its linearity and popularity, so we parted ways. Twenty years later, revisiting the fragrances that started my love for the perfume world and not smelling 212 around me so often as in the past, I decided it was time to own a bottle again. When my bottle arrived and I eagerly applied it I immediately recollected why I fell in love with it in the past: a soft, clean, slightly powdery fragrance, with lovely white flowers that, together, compose a soothing aura for me. It still has great longevity and a projection that allows you to smell the fragrance constantly for at least 4 hours. After so many years I can state that my passion grew into love and I'll keep 212 in my collection not only for the sake of fond memories, but also because it smells simple and divine to me.

I always admire the easy-wearing smooth fragrances by CAROLINA HERRERA.212 is really elegant and refreshing and at the same time lasting and gentle.it is like a breath of fresh air. lively,clean,urban,modern, enjoyable, tasteful,airy and delightful.

Clean and crisp notes of bergamot, mandarin orange and orange blossom mingle with soft floral notes and are soothed by warm sandalwood and musk as evokes a feeling of serenity and beauty. freshness is a definite attribute in it.

It is a perfect fragrance for sunny days however this soft romantic scent is nice for an intimate encounter.i also think this is a scent for many ages of women but one thing is obvious,you can not wear it without feeling young.when you wear it you feel wonderfully alive ladies this is the scent for life.

I have had this in the past and am ordering again today. It's delightful and stays with me for awhile.

I really, really like this fragrance. Surprising, because I never expected to.

It's slightly fruity, it's fresh and it's powdery. Three qualities that I usually detest in fragrances, however this scent is bliss for me.

I actually adore the cactus note, strangely enough. I suppose it is to be expected seeming that my mother collects many rare and interesting cacti for her garden. I'm practically surrounded by the scent of cactus whenever I go home, so perhaps this scent sparks sentimental value for me.

Apart from the cactus note, I also sense the mandarin orange and orange blossom notes which are subtle yet divine. The floral notes which make their first appearance after the initial 10 minutes, are quite powdery and strange, not at all what you'd expect. The flowers are somewhat plastic and artificial smelling, however I believe it only adds to this fragrance's appeal.

The sillage is actually quite strong, which surprised me because most scents of this nature are soft and intimate. The lasting power is also fabulous.

I would recommend 212 as a unique Spring/Summer fragrance for women that long to stand out in a crowd.

One thing that I notice is that the longevity is amazing. It's fresh, floral smelling but it's not too sweet but still feminine. I love it and wear it to work and get compliments from colleagues. Great scent for both work and play. Not so much for formal events though, but good enough for daily office wear and a day out at the mall or barbecue with friends.

This the sexiest women fragrance i've ever smelled .... very clean, very fiminine , very charming ... irresistable.... the different kinds of flowers blended in a very great way .... perfect perfume indeed ...

The EdT is not bad,my interpretation of it is very different to other reviewers, but maybe it's my body chemistry.I find it quite citrussy,(lemon and grapefruit) and cool to start with, the middle note is a not-too-sweet floral, and there is definately something steely and metallic in there, without the cold, steely notes I don't think it would be as interesting.I would agree that it finishes dry, but I can't find much warmth there. I quite like it as an everyday kind of fragrance, it is very light and wont scare the horses. I'm afraid I can't agree with other reviewers about the staying power.

i cant forget this fragance, simply my fav female of all time .. theres something sexy, soft and warm there... wonderful femenine smell.

A female f wore this all the time and it was great. The drydown is the part that sticks out for me, as the longevity seemed impressive and I was always getting a whiff of it hours after application. And as for the content of that drydown, the muskiness is wonderful. I would imagine that this scent is more dependent than average on skin chemistry, as it is not so overpowering that it blocks out one's natural smell. As for the rest of the scent, I just remember the smell of white flowers, which I thought was balanced nicely against the musk and was a great combination.

This is my #1 favorite. I hear nothing but "you smell great" when I wear this. It is sexy but subtle, warm yet fresh. Good lasting power but not overwhelming. Perfect!

This scent is extremely sexy! I can't imagine a new one was ever formulated...to include 'sexy' in it's name. The notes are a very original blend, and the drydown brings the woodsy musk into full bloom ~ which is the really sexy part! It comes off a little dry overall, but chic. I also heard that the name 212 was the area code of Caroline Herrera, at least at the time of it's birth! Kinda interesting!