The fragrance world has been counting down the days to the launch of  ‘Buzz‘ – made exclusively for tabloid newspaper The Sun by all-round fragrance genius Roja Dove. Now, Roja Dove is a haute perfumier at Harrods with a list of seriously impressive credentials. The Sun is known for alarmist news and boobs. In that order. It’s a strange combination and that’s why everyone’s been talking about it. Well it finally landed on my desk this morning and I have mixed views…

The packaging is made out of a cheap, shiny cardboard and inside lies the tiny bottle of Buzz that has a lurid pink sticker hastily stuck onto it – air bubbles and all. I appreciate camp (lord, I do) but this isn’t pop art, it’s just cheesy. As first impressions go, not impressed.

On to the most important point, what does it smell like? I’d forgive the packaging if the product was decent and with Roja Dove’s credentials I was expecting magic. Something to stick in the craw of snobbish fragrance reviewers – like me!

It’s not good.

Smells like...

You know how difficult I find it to articulate a fragrance review and the best I can muster about this one is ‘pungent’. It smells like one of those non-brand perfumes they sell at Superdrug which eventually end up as last-minute Christmas gifts. It’s strong, brash and very sharp on the nose. I can’t really identify any individual notes, it’s just a very strong alcohol-laced floral.

Now, I did say my feelings are mixed about ‘Buzz’ and this is why. As a product, this (I assume unintentionally) is a very clever perfume; it captures its aims perfectly. As I said; it’s bold, brash and unsubtle – traits of fame if ever I knew them. In that sense, all the pink, tacky packaging and cheap smell works perfectly. After all, what better testament to fame than attatching your name to a cheap product for a boatload of money? That’s Buzz, dah-ling.

Unfortunately this isn’t an art installation; it’s a fragrance. It’s something you’re expected to spray all over your person and I honestly can’t imagine anybody that would like to do so. And the price for such an honour? £60. At Harrods.