Boadicea the Victorious: Fire Sapphire
I need to be upfront with you before you read on, Fire Sapphire did not play well with my skin chemistry. Within 30 minutes, it had all but disappeared, leaving only a faint trace of plum and vanilla near my elbow.
I did my best to give it a fair shot. I resprayed throughout the day to coax something more substantial out of it, but had the same experience each time. Without a proper dry down to judge, it feels disingenuous to offer a full review based on precious little skin time and some entirely necessary scent strip tests but here we are. What little I did experience was fairly pleasant.
The Notes
Top notes: Bergamot, Plum, Rose, Ylang-Ylang
Heart notes: Jasmine Sambac, Bulgarian Rose, Cashmeran, Hedione
Base notes: Patchouli, Woods, Vanilla, Musk, Crystal Amber, Sandalwood
The Scent
Opening: Plum, woods, patchouli
Dry Down: (On my skin? A mystery.) Plum, vanilla residue
The opening was promising, plum gives the fragrance a velvety richness, while patchouli and vanilla round it out with some warmth. There are woods lurking in the background, along with a hint of smokiness, though on me, these elements remained more suggestion than statement. It’s well-balanced, smooth, and has all the makings of a refined, elegant scent. But none of that matters if it doesn’t stick around long enough to develop.
Performance
Projection: Minimal. This scent keeps to itself.
Longevity: Almost non-existent on my skin. Gone within 30 minutes.
Skin chemistry plays a huge role in performance, so your mileage may vary. On the right person, those smoky woods might bloom beautifully, and the dry down might reveal layers I never got to experience.
Who is this for?
If your skin embraces fragrances with a strong, long-lasting presence, Fire Sapphire could be worth exploring. The scent itself is undeniably pleasant, refined, and elegant. But for those who struggle with longevity it may prove frustrating.
It’s also worth considering that while this perfume might shine on a scent strip or even on fabric, its wearability on skin is another story. If you’re intrigued by the notes you must have a skin test before committing, especially if you, like me, prefer to spend a whole day with a fragrance before making a judgment.
This is a very expensive fragrance, so all the more reason for testing with your skin chemistry rather than trusting its performance from a scent strip.
Final Thoughts
I wanted to love Fire Sapphire. The blend is well-executed, the notes seem balanced, and in theory, it has all the elements of a great fragrance. But on my skin, it was fleeting to the point of being nearly imperceptible, making it difficult to truly assess.
Some perfumes demand your attention. This one barely whispered before it disappeared. If it lasts on you, I suspect it could be beautiful but for me, it’s a case of what could have been.
