Sensuous Nude by Estee Lauder, which launched in 2011, is a new version of the original Sensuous from 2008. I actually never really paid much attention to the pillar perfume other than to note that it had woody, spicy-sweet characteristics but wasn’t anything I found too interesting.

When I stumbled across Sensuous Nude recently at a local Sephora, I was surprisingly impressed. It’s the type of beachy floral scent that makes you want to keep smelling your skin while wearing it just because it smells that good.

Granted, I happen to love the beach and so beachy fragrances usually give me an olfactory high when they’re done right. Sensuous Nude has a perfect blend of bergamot, pepper, mandarin, jasmine, lily of the valley, coconut, honey, vanilla, musk and sandalwood. It starts out spicy and citrusy and gently reveals it’s lovely floral notes before drying down to a delicious nutty, warm musk. The coconut and honey make their appearance somewhere in the heart and it is a truly  creamy and delicious coconut. Mmmm, sheer heaven! ?

The overall impression Sensuous Nude leaves me with is laid-back, comforting and effortless. It’s so gentle it’s almost fragile. It makes me want to wrap myself in its delicate embrace and sip a mojito while basking in the sun. Sensuous Nude is a stealth mode perfume, perfect for those times when you want to smell good but not smelling overtly of perfume. It manages to be discreet and light enough to fly under the radar.

I see this perfume as best suited for summer and warmer temperatures when you want to reach for something not overpowering. The name Nude suits it very well because smells just like skin only better.

Sensuous Nude smells much better (also different) on the skin than on a blotter. It stays very close to the skin and has moderate longevity. Perfect for layering too!