Lily & Spice is the latest fragrance release from Penhaligon's; it includes notes of lily, saffron, patchouli and musk. It is meant to herald the "return to the essence of Penhaligon’s identity of traditional English perfumery". (via princesssquare)
Lily & Spice is a rather forthright take on lily, miles away from the embellished approach of Serge Lutens Un Lys or Donna Karan Gold. It opens on lily accented with subdued green notes, but almost from the start, all of the hard edges have been softened; it isn't likely to strike anyone, as Gold apparently did, as overly sharp. If you pay attention, you will find the saffron and hints of clove, but the fragrance isn't more than mildly spicy overall, in fact, I'd say it is not quite as spicy (or as sweet) as a real lily.
There is nothing of the lushness of Un Lys, just a very pretty, very feminine lily, more fresh than not. The dry down adds a touch of earthiness, but no more — the patchouli is done with an extremely light hand — over a musky woods base; after about an hour, there is the vaguest little dusting of powder. The powder intensifies as it continues to develop, but it never overwhelms the fragrance.
Lily & Spice is nicely done and very wearable, but personally I don't find it as captivating as Un Lys or Gold. If either of those fragrances were too much for you, Lily & Spice might be more to your taste.
Lily & Spice is an Eau de Parfum, and the lasting power is good. It is sold in 50 and 100 ml bottles; a matching candle is also available. For buying information, see the listing for Penhaligon's under Perfume Houses.
Well, I adore Un Lys, but Gold and Malle's Lys knock me off my feet, not in a good way…is it safe for me to even smell Lily & Spice (and everything nice…:-)) from a vial?
Sounds harmless, but…
Hmmm….I'm not moved by your description, darling.
Maybe I am just not a lily lover. :(:(
Hugs!
I hesitate to answer because I can sort of see the Gold, but would have thought the FM harmless. I may not truly fathom the depths of your lily problems, LOL…
Tis ok, not everyone has to be a lily lover, and I'm not especially moved by this one myself. Hugs to you too!
I've only tried a few Penhaligons. Somehow they don't end up enchanting me, there's something sort of watery about them — and it's not like I'm opposed to old-fashioned scents either. I do like Malabah, but not “love.” If only the juice lived up to the bottles.
P.S.–I have not tried Caron Alpona. Why do you think I would like it, since I can't seem to find one dern Caron that I love, save for the wonderfully girly-girl Bellodgia?
Hugs!
No reason except that it was the first one I really loved, LOL…not a very good reason, I guess, since we don't always love the same things. But it doesn't have the same feel to me as the other classic Carons…it doesn't have that strong, dark, Caronish undertone.
M, to me L&S, like many of the other Penhaligon's, does smell like a traditional English perfume. It is not always my favorite style either. Actually I was sort of confused by the idea that they're trying to get back to that style, because I missed the fact that they ever left it (?)
Gotcha!
i love malabah and also this genuine english style, but: does L&S smell like “an old woman”? i do not know the other scents, what can you comapre ist with? does ist have aldehydes? i would love to buy ist, but it is pretty expensive for an experiment. hugs to you, andreea
Most of us perfumistas bristle at the idea of scents being categorized as “old woman”, LOL– esp. those like me who could qualify as such. But I do get the idea, and this one doesn't strike me that way. No idea if it has aldehydes, but you needn't order it unsniffed, you can get a sample from Aedes.
being old and smelling old are two different things
my mom wearing chanel no5 smells “old”. this are aldehydes which remind me of unaired furs of an 80year old lady. i know this is a crazy desciption. don't bristle, it has been my grandma smelling like this 
trauma.
thank you though! and i did not mean to offend any of us ladies, not even the elder ones over 80.
Promise not to bristle — I'm not easily offended! But can't agree that Chanel No. 5 smells “old”. To me, it smells like “the” sophisticated classic
you know how tastes change, so i might try it again, the last time i nearly liked it. but on my mom it is horrible, i cannot stand it. so i had to give her a bottle of coco mademoiselle, which she loves too. god thanks there are still duty free shops