+The Beat by Burberry for (W)

The Beat is described as a sparkling floral woody fragrance; the notes feature bergamot, mandarin, Ceylon tea, cardamom, pink pepper, bluebell, iris, white musk, vetiver and cedarwood. It starts very bright, with tart fruit and juicy citrus. There is lots of pink pepper (can anybody remember what perfumes smelled like before pink pepper became obligatory?) and a teensy little pinch of cardamom. The heart is sheer bluebell-ish florals, still very bright; the base is cool and pale and summery, and smoothed over with a smidgen of iris. The ad copy calls The Beat “carnal, slightly wild”, but that is the usual nonsense — there is nothing even vaguely carnal about it. It smells young and cheerful and clean, and is a pretty good match with the mood of the print ad.

RM55