ART MEETS ART
LIKE A VIRGIN UNPLUGGED
2024
PERFUMER
Fabrice Pellegrin
bergamot
freesia
orange blossom
milky notes
vanilla
‘One of my main sources of inspiration for creating fragrances is music: from its soft melodies that evoke an oriental perfume, to electronic music that I associate with aromatic, vibrant notes.’ – Fabrice Pellegrin
Like A Virgin Unplugged is a (completely) new take on 2017’s Like A Virgin, which I’ve only smelled briefly in-store, so this won’t be a comparison review. Out of an unhealthy amount of fragrances sampled during a weekend in Paris, I listed Like A Virgin Unplugged as one of my top 10 discoveries on first impression, after which the brand kindly provided a bottle, so now I’ve had a chance to wear it properly and present you this review.
This is clearly an orange blossom fragrance. That is noticeable upon first spray, but after wearing it, I can say that it’s even more orange blossom-focused than I initially thought it would be. In that sense, Like A Virgin Unplugged isn’t doing anything spectacular in terms of scent profile. I’d go as far as saying: If you love orange blossom, you will love this and if you dislike orange blossom, you’ll likely pass on this fragrance.
What sets this apart from most orange blossom fragrances is the way it wears in combination with the sweetness. Like A Virgin Unplugged is heavy on the vanilla and I get tonka-like qualities throughout. Bordering on being a gourmand at times. Not too sugary, but lactonic vanillic and creamy. And out of everything that I’ve tried surrounding these main notes, this fragrance finds one of the best balances.
It’s not the airy, screechy, sharp floral that orange blossom can be. I’m assume that there are other flowers and recreations of flowers used in this, but it feels very soliflore in regards to that facet of the fragrance. I don’t smell a strong neroli for example, as I often do with orange blossom. It’s also not the too soft, indistinct floral, often further feminine leaning, marshmallow from the Love Don’t Be Shy school of fragrances (although I’m sure that most people that love Love Don’t Be Shy will enjoy Like A Virgin Unplugged as well).
It sits right in between, with a distinct orange blossom that remains floral for more than just a few minutes, and a distinct creamy sweetness that makes it wear effortlessly. Even on paper, in-store, my first impression was that this just felt like a super smooth creation. The texture stands out as much or more than the scent profile. I’m actually not the biggest fan of orange blossom, but this is one of the best releases that puts it in the spotlight for me.
