Gush›Anna Sui›Forbidden Affair
⚠This fragrance is currently unavailable. It may be discontinued or out of stock across all retailers. Check back later or set an alert to be notified if it returns.
anna-sui Forbidden Affair
Anna Sui

Forbidden Affair

Citrus
Fresh
Floral
Rose
Fruity
Aromatic
Woody
EDT · 2010 · womens

Anna Sui built her fragrance line on bold, theatrical aesthetics that match her fashion sensibility, and Forbidden Affair follows that playbook with its evocative naming and dark-toned bottle design.

The fragrance opens with bright Amalfi lemon and black currant, immediately establishing a fruity-citrus character. The heart shifts toward a berry-and-rose combination, with pomegranate and raspberry softening the sharpness of the top notes before a delicate rose accord takes center stage. The base settles on a clean musk and violet foundation, grounded by a whisper of Virginia cedar. The overall effect is a fruity floral with enough structure to feel sophisticated rather than simply sweet.

This works well for anyone drawn to fruit-forward florals with a slightly cooler, rosy edge. It's suitable for everyday wear or layered into a fragrance wardrobe as a spring and summer option. If you're drawn to The Heirloom, The Tactician, or The Romantic, this fragrance aligns with those sensibilities.

Adds to your fragrance profile · visible to the community

Not yet ratedYour Gush Score
ModerateLongevity
Rate this fragrance
0255075100
—/100
Price Comparison0 retailers · updated daily
SizeUpdated 0m ago

No listings available for this size.

✓ authorized retailer · ⚠ verify seller · delta vs. MSRP · we earn a small commission

Alert me when the price drops
We'll notify you once. No spam.
Main Accordsreported by community
Citrus
70%
Fresh
25%
Floral
100%
Rose
80%
Fruity
100%
Aromatic
58%
Woody
58%
Musky
60%
Powdery
58%
Sweet
42%
Fragrance Notesbrand verified
Top · 0–30 min
Amalfi Lemon
Amalfi Lemon
Grown on the dramatic cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, Amalfi lemons are unusually large and fragrant with a particularly sweet, aromatic rind and minimal bitterness. In perfumery they represent the idealized Italian lemon experience: luminous, floral-citrus, and vivid. The benchmark for high-quality lemon notes in classic Mediterranean fragrances.
Black Currant
Black Currant
Red Currant
Red Currant
Bright, tart, and slightly sweet, red currant has a vivid fruitiness with more sharpness than strawberry and more brightness than blackcurrant. It reads as energetic and refreshing, adding a clean, slightly acidic sweetness to fruity and floral compositions. Used when a bright, fresh berry note is needed.
Heart · 30 min – 3 hrs
Pomegranate
Pomegranate
Bright, slightly tart, and jewel-red, pomegranate in perfumery adds a vivid, clean fruitiness with a slightly astringent quality that keeps it from being simply sweet. It reads as simultaneously fresh and exotic. Often used in contemporary fragrances where its Middle Eastern associations add a modern luxuriousness.
Raspberry
Raspberry
Bright, tart, and slightly jammy, raspberry adds a vivid fruity pop that is harder and more energetic than peach or apricot. It's a signature note of modern fruity florals and adds an accessible sweetness that broadens a fragrance's appeal. Best used with restraint unless you're deliberately going for big and fun.
Rose
Rose
The queen of floral notes and the most-used ingredient in fine perfumery. Real rose is simultaneously velvety, honeyed, and slightly spicy, nothing like the synthetic candy version. Depending on the variety used, it can anchor a composition or drift through it like a ghost, adding warmth without dominating.
Base · 3–12 hrs
Musk
Musk
The base layer of almost every modern fragrance, a soft, warm, skin-like scent that extends longevity and bridges other notes together. Natural musk was once derived from deer (now banned); today's musks are synthetic and range from clean and soapy to dark and animalic. The right musk makes a fragrance smell like 'you.'
Violet
Violet
Sweet, powdery, and faintly green, violet sits between floral and earthy in a way that feels distinctly old-world glamorous. The leaf and the flower smell quite different: the flower is sugary and delicate, while violet leaf is fresh and slightly vegetal. Together they create a note that feels both nostalgic and current.
Virginia Cedar
Virginia Cedar
Warm, slightly sweet, and clean, Virginia cedarwood is the most commonly used cedar in mainstream perfumery. It has a familiar, pencil-cedar smell with a soft warmth that makes it universally approachable. Less assertive than Atlas cedar, it acts as a quiet, reliable base note in hundreds of commercial fragrances.
Who Wears ThisScent DNA matches
🏛️
The HeirloomBest match86% match
You carry something beautiful that most people have forgotten.

Powdery, soft, classically sweet. Iris, aldehydes, gentle florals, quiet vintage warmth.

📐
The Tactician85% match
Precision over excess. Always.

Crisp, dry, clean, worn close. Citrus, aromatic herbs, light woods, soft musks.

❤️
The Romantic84% match
Your fragrance is a love letter you never stop writing.

Warm roses, vanilla, amber, creamy musks. Soft, evolving, intimate.

Based on this fragrance's accord profile · Find your Scent DNA →
Community
Rate this fragrance
Rate this fragrance
0255075100
—/100
Most Popular with this Scent DNA Type?
🏛️
The Heirloom
You carry something beautiful that most people have forgotten.
Powdery, soft, classically sweet. Iris, aldehydes, gentle florals, quiet vintage warmth.
Discover your type →
Scent Profile
Citrus70%Fresh25%Floral100%Rose80%Fruity100%
Fragrance Family
Floral
EDT

anna-sui Forbidden Affair— Prices, Coupons & Buying Guide

Best price today: Forbidden Affair is $0.00. Without a coupon the lowest price is $0.00. Gush tracks 47+ retailers updated every 2 hours.

Are grey market retailers authentic?

Yes. Jomashop, FragranceNet, and MaxAroma sell 100% authentic anna-sui fragrances through unofficial distribution channels. The fragrance is identical to department store stock. Grey market refers to the supply chain, not product quality. The price difference comes entirely from the distribution channel.

Frequently asked questions

What does anna-sui Forbidden Affair smell like? +
Anna Sui built her fragrance line on bold, theatrical aesthetics that match her fashion sensibility, and Forbidden Affair follows that playbook with its evocative naming and dark-toned bottle design. The fragrance opens with bright Amalfi lemon and black currant, immediately establishing a fruity-citrus character. The heart shifts toward a berry-and-rose combination, with pomegranate and raspberry softening the sharpness of the top notes before a delicate rose accord takes center stage. The base settles on a clean musk and violet foundation, grounded by a whisper of Virginia cedar. The overall effect is a fruity floral with enough structure to feel sophisticated rather than simply sweet. This works well for anyone drawn to fruit-forward florals with a slightly cooler, rosy edge. It's suitable for everyday wear or layered into a fragrance wardrobe as a spring and summer option. If you're drawn to The Heirloom, The Tactician, or The Romantic, this fragrance aligns with those sensibilities.
What are the notes in anna-sui Forbidden Affair? +
Top: Amalfi Lemon, Black Currant, Red Currant. Heart: Pomegranate, Raspberry, Rose. Base: Musk, Violet, Virginia Cedar.
What fragrance family is Forbidden Affair? +
anna-sui Forbidden Affair belongs to the Floral fragrance family. It is an EDT.
What other fragrances smell like anna-sui Forbidden Affair? +
Based on shared notes, anna-sui Tin House Forbidden Affair for women (Musk, Violet, Pomegranate, Raspberry), Diptyque Eau Rose (Musk, Virginia Cedar, Rose, Black Currant), ed-hardy Florale Attraction unisex (Musk, Violet, Rose, Black Currant), Creed Fleurs De Gardenia (Musk, Virginia Cedar, Rose, Black Currant), floris Malmaison for women (Musk, Virginia Cedar, Rose, Amalfi Lemon) may smell similar to Forbidden Affair.
What is a grey market fragrance retailer? +
Grey market retailers sell authentic fragrances sourced through unofficial distribution -- typically excess inventory from authorized distributors. The product is real and identical to retail. FragranceNet (est. 1997), Jomashop, and MaxAroma are well-established with millions of verified reviews.

Gush earns a commission on purchases at no cost to you · Prices update every 2 hours · Coupon success rates based on affiliate feed data · Grey market = authentic, unofficial supply chain