Sweets for my Sweet | Viktor & Rolf Bon Bon

Bonbon, a timeless sensation inviting a pure and absolute pursuit of pleasure. She who wears Bonbon, dresses herself in perfume whilst creating her own story. She is empowered, beautiful and complete. Caramel characterizes the scent’s evolution. From inception to completion, the caramel notes mature from a sharp, edible top note to softer and milkier in the middle then darkening to add depth to the base note. A pure delight, a haute confection. – Viktor & Rolf

I’m sure you remember the huge success that was Viktor & Rolf’s first fragrance, Flower Bomb. Compared to the floral tones of Flower Bomb, the new, never-been-done-before caramel-infused fragrance called Bonbon is completely different: if Flowerbomb is a garden explosion, Bonbon is the warm enveloping scent of crème caramel, crème brulée and hot sticky toffee pudding from a five-star restaurant.

The fragrance: Bonbon is a sticky confection of a fragrance, with caramel and toffee being the most dominant scent. Mandarin, jasmine and peach make an appearance somewhere along the unraveling of the notes, but the overall effect is that of sweet, sugary caramel. It’s a really interesting fragrance. When it’s first sprayed on the skin, you get a rush of sweet caramel, which is the key note. This tones down quickly to let the subtler notes of mandarin, orange and peach through. There’s also orange blossom and jasmine to provide depth and the floral note that is now associated with the brand (à la Flowerbomb). Base notes of cedar, sandalwood, guaiac wood and amber give the fragrance a heady scent and very slight sharpness that are really pleasing and contrast they key note’s sweetness.

I remember the first time I smelled Bonbon, I instantly fell in love with it. Its sweet, smooth caramel scent made me feel warm and cozy, like I was indulging in something naughty (yes, it smells that good!). If you get a buzz from gourmand scents and sweet smelling candy-shop perfumery gets your heart racing, then you’ll probably find a new love in the form of Bonbon.

The bottle: What took a whole year to craft, from initial to concept to mould to production, the idea of Bonbon started with a simple bow, a concept that’s always been in their runway repertoire. “The bow is an archetypal way of decorating something, making something special out of something ordinary,” says Viktor Horsting. Model Edita Vilkeviciute’s (the face of Bonbon) nude body is painted with pink ribbons and bows while an oversized fragrance bottle is steady on her lap in the ad campaign

Bonbon launches at Stuttafords countrywide today. Go and get your sticky paws on a bottle! RSP is R919 for 30ml, R1 169 for 50ml, R1 489 for 90ml.

P.S. Imprinted on each Viktor & Rolf fragrance box is a secret code, which you can enter to become a member of the secret service. Sadly it isn’t active in South Africa, but it’s still a sweet addition.