TOCCA Bianca ($68) reminds me of an elegant afternoon tea at the Ritz Carlton, at a table set with roses in julep cups, fine china, and silver. Even the top of the vintage bottle reminds me of antique silver, its gilding softened by time.Inspired by tea time in Italy, Bianca opens with a light citrus blend of lemon orpur and mandarin. Green tea and rose petals bloom, while a whisper of musk and sugar linger on the skin.
This is a beautiful blend. The top notes of bergamot, lavender, mandarin, and lemon orpur give it a citrusy opening. The middle notes, rose petals, jasmine, and green tea characterize its beauty. The bottom notes, which linger, are musk and sugar.
I was sent a sample of this delightful fragrance by LuckyScent (I think). In the past, I haven't been a TOCCA fan, so I lingered before I tried it. Too bad! That wasted time before I ordered this luscious treat.
Bianca reminds me of other tea-based fragrances I own, but it's not the same. The citrusy opening and the rose and jasmine blended with green tea have the same effect on me as catnip has on my cat Charlie. I can't get enough of it.
This is an incredibly long-lasting fragrance. I can smell it on my skin 12 hours after a light spritz. If these are notes you like, and you just happen to be ordering at Sephora, it was one of the free samples yesterday. Unlike many of the fragrance samples offered, this one's worth trying!
TOCCA Beauty sprang from a clothing company that was founded by friends in 1994. Named for the Italian word for “touch,” after its intricate embroideries and luxurious fabrics, TOCCA "combines the best of the romantic and exotic." In 1997, three unique and unusual products were launched: a solid perfume, a dry oil skin smoother, and a laundry delicate for fine washables in “Touch,” a gardenia-based fragrance. These beautiful and portable items were aimed at the European traveler on holiday. Emblematic of the free-spirited culture of the company, these products were unconventional categories with which to launch a beauty line. Yet they were an immediate success with the press and retailers. With its distinctive and sophisticated fragrances, TOCCA Beauty quickly developed a cult following. TOCCA Beauty can now be found in an extensive family of aromatic candles, luxurious bath and body products, fine fabric washes, and perfumes - and at many stores and online sources.
You can purchase TOCCA's Bianca at Sephora, LuckyScent, QVC, Bluemercury, LuckyScent, and from Tocca's Web site.
Photo courtesy of Tocca