Ex'cla.ma'tion 
Coty (1988)

I can't understand anyone not finding it appealing since it's pleasant, not too loud, and lasting. Also, it feels like something a traditional woman who is classy might wear. That may be the reason it gets criticized because these days so many perfumes are marketed to the very young, hot blooded, oversexed, panting in their underwear youth market.

The peach and apricot accords become tart and slightly dry after the initial opening. There is surprising grassiness to the base, tempering this scent with some freshness, and sandalwood is present throughout, adding a slightly smoky depth. Some other florals creep in the time passes-heliotrope and jasmine being the most evident to my nose, but the rose very much takes center stage. The dry down is woody with hints of muskiness. Sillage is decent and longevity is impressive. I imagine of a voluptuous, golden-brown skinned brunette with a roundly maternal face and honey-brown almond eyes wearing this.

Exclamation was a perfume that ended up in the collection of most of the female members of my family. The bottle always piqued my curiosity, and I was able to check it out
on my wrist without reservation once upon a time.

The note that stuck out then and now: Peach! (Not listed in the above triangle, strangely.) Peach instantly catches my attention, whether in perfumery or in the culinary world. Exclamation has a healthy collection of other fruits as well, giving the perfume a gourmandish quality which, when mixed with the heart and basenotes, lead to a slightly Sweet Tart candy-like personality. It's not overwhelmingly floral, and it ends up with a powdery quality that is accented by sandalwood and musk.
(Vanilla seems to stick out of this one as well.)

I think more female kids, teens, and young women have had encounters with Exclamation than not: It's always been drugstore inexpensive and quite accessible vs. some high-end mark. It seemed a natural scent to give as a gift or to purchase for oneself without breaking ones budget. As a man, it stirs up memories of beholding this scent wafting plentifully at the local malls I grew up in during the 80's / 90's (I don't think the date is correct above: 1998 is WAY too late a year from what I recall; perhaps 1988 is what belongs there.)

There are many, many other options out there for the more mature-minded lady than with Exclamation. However, it doesn't seem altogether obsolete and outdated, and it is great for conjuring up nostalgia from decades past!
(And there are a LOT of flankers of this one to check out, giving the prospective tester lots of options.)

I bought a small bottle of Exclamation recently, as I find myself revisiting nostalgic scents of the '90s. I couldn't for the life of me remember what this smelled like, but I have always been intrigued by the bottle as well as the tagline - "Make a statement without saying a word". I am sure I had this as a kid, or, at least borrowed my sister's out of her caboodle from time to time! =)

For such a quirky bottle and the promise of statement-making, this scent doesn't quite live up to the hype, BUT... that's not a bad thing, because it's still beautiful. It isn't at all loud, obtrusive or bold. Wow, did this perfume really come out of that exclamation point bottle? It's so soft, sweet and safe! Creamy vanilla, sweet peaches & apricots with just a little pinch of cinnamon. Wispy musk, soft & sandalwood and delicate rose.. it smells as if it could just float right away!

Don't let the bottle fool you. This is a well composed and serious scent. I'm glad I snagged a bottle.

A+ for its place in fragrance history. It was my first ... and it was affordable at a time when the only choices in the US were higher priced items in department stores, lower quality items from drug stores, and mid-range products from Avon.