Dylan Turquoise Pour Femme Eau de Toilette

Guava is what makes Versace Dylan Turquoise Pour Femme Eau de Toilette worth smelling, because very few fragrances at this price use the material properly.

Most tropical fruit in perfumery smells of boiled sweets. This does not, quite. Guava has a green, slightly sulphurous edge to it in life, and enough of that survives here to give the fruit some credibility. It is set against blackcurrant, which brings its own tart and leafy sharpness, and the two together carry the middle of the fragrance. Jasmine and freesia sit over them, thin and airy, there to add light rather than any real floral weight.

Above all that, the opening is simple and effective: mandarin orange and lemon for juiciness, pink pepper for a dry sparkle that keeps the citrus from going soapy. It is the most conventional part of the fragrance and it passes quickly.

The base is musk and nothing else. That is a short finish by any standard, and it means the fragrance is essentially about its first two hours. Judged on those it does what it set out to do, and judged on depth it will disappoint anyone looking for some. It is a daytime scent aimed at women, light enough for an office and cheerful enough for a holiday, and the eau de toilette concentration invites the generous spraying that a composition this transparent needs. If you already own something heavier for the evening, this is the daytime counterpart that most collections are missing.

Versace has been an Italian fashion name since 1978, when Gianni Versace founded it in Milan, and Donatella Versace has led it creatively since his death. The company is active in interiors and hospitality as well as fragrance.