Cartier Perfume: Review of So Pretty

In my long career of “perfume wearer” I had many Cartier perfumes but So Pretty by Cartier is never missing from my perfume shelf. Although I know it very well, I have never fully followed the evolution of its notes on paper. I finally decided to do it and this is the review, with full timeline.
It was launched in 1995 and was one of the last perfumes for women to be produced by Cartier in the nineties, and until 2001, when the unisex Eau de Cartier was created. In this period of six years, So Pretty gained a respectable fan base, thanks to its classic notes with a modern twist. The structure of this perfume is simple, focused on a sweet rose de Grasse, accompanied and completed by iris and occasional fruity notes. The dominant rose is delicate and not aggressive, thus justifying the name “So Pretty.” In the Cartier website there are only three official ingredients: rose de Grasse, iris from Tuscany and sandalwood.

The opening of this Cartier perfume is classic, with a mix of bergamot and citrus notes, plus a trace of aldheydic, which is the synthetic molecule that gives the fresh aroma in the classic perfumery. In the middle phase iris comes out, with notes of ammonia (it sort of reminds of some DYI hair-dyers) and also lemon-flavored herbs of verbena, plua a secondary powdery notes or iris. This is also where the rose de Grass starts to develop a light and feminine personality, but also deep and complex notes of spices (which are naturally part of its aroma) and petals. After about one hour, the roses are sweeter, and are accompanied by peach, creating a mix like the one in Tresor by Lancome, but with an extra note of iris. Towards the end of the middle notes, after about three hours, the roses develop even further and the ammonia notes evolve into a rose water. In the background there is a second line of denser florals, like iris, ylang-ylang and violets. The trail that the rose leaves behind is young and sweet, at times reminding of some rose-based facial creams.
After four hours the rose is brighter, with fruity notes, which it is hard to say if they are added, or if they naturally come from the rose. They have an aroma of strawberries, and redcurrant, and even a trace of sugar and soft wood.
After six hours, the roses remind even more of cleansing products for babies, like powders, wet tissues, and scented oils. The fruity line is now more independent and tends towards soft red fruits with traces of resin and lemon notes.
After about ten hours, thia Cartier perfume for women is unchanged, and in the final part, after 15 hours, roses go back to a more traditional sweetness, showing different traces of powdery petals, and a residual line of fruity notes. Iris is still in the air, but it is very vague, and sporadic.

At first smell, this So Pretty Cartier perfume could be misunderstood as a teenage perfume, or like a close relative of Delices, or Nina by Nina Ricci. Yet, the design of the bottle itself suggests that it is in fact an elegant, simple fragrance, with very rich and deep notes. The rose de Grass – the core of this fragrance – is very delicate and feminine, and presents multiple facets during its long evolution. In general it smells very natural, although the intention of the designer was clearly to tame the natural side in favour of a more elegant image.
The aroma is also very flexible, showing a quality for daily use in the spring at the beginning, but evolving towards a use in mild winters in closed spaces. As it develops, it also has a certain air of innocence, but always remaining elegant and for social purposes. In the office it gives a professional image, without being too mature, but its good taste and lack of intrusiveness need to be accompanied by an appropriate dress.
For a night use, it feels more at ease in closed spaces, where there is not much competition from other fragrances. On the romantic side although there are no seductive notes, the rose shifts from innocence to ESMERO, giving an image of someone who wants to care about a partner rather than attracting him.
The ideal age to wear this perfume starts from 30 to 60 years, although if the circumstance is formal enough, it can be worn from the age of 25.