Victoria Beckham Beauty Hotel Portofino Extrait: Review

When Victoria Beckham told me that her newest fragrance, Hotel Portofino Extrait, was inspired by the early chapter of her love story with David—namely their Mediterranean escapes—every ounce of my being told me it would be a sexy scent. She went on: “It takes me back to the details of the hotel in Portofino—the warm evening light, the sea breeze coming through the balcony, and the smell of the room after a long day outside. I wanted to capture that feeling of being completely enamored with one another, when you’re absorbed in the moment.”

With a little help from perfumer Jerome Eppinette, who is the genius behind fragrances like Byredo’s Gypsy Water and Sol de Janeiro’s Cheriosa ‘91, the just-launched perfume is a delicious balance of spices, citrus, and woodsy notes. It’s “fresh and effortless,” per Beckham, yet it has a moody, sensual aura that makes it a distinctive date-night fragrance. It’s so good, in fact, that Beckham considers it her go-to date night scent. “There is something very romantic about wearing the fragrance that brings me back to the beginning of our relationship,” she says.