Becca, who comments here regularly as alotofscents, is looking for the perfect romantic floral for her signature scent. She'd like to find a "fresh cut" floral with a touch of white flowers and a slight green note. She doesn't want anything cloying, and she'd like to still be smelling the flowers after a few hours. Here is what we know about Becca:
Becca is single and in her late 40s.
She's a wildlife officer and an animal nerd, and is active in community theater.
She's a tomboy and a girly girl: she's an excellent shot, but loves being soft and pretty.
She's petite, and generally wear jeans and boots with romantic, whimsical, or cute t-shirts.
Some of the fragrances Becca has worn in the past include Yves Rocher Magnolia, Dana Le Jardin, Cacharel Anais Anais, Estee Lauder Beautiful, Bonne Bell Skin Musk, Ralph Lauren Romance, Victoria's Secret Very Sexy, Rapture and Sexy Little Things. Right now her rotation includes Estee Lauder Beautiful Love & Sensuous, Ungaro Fleur De Diva, Bvlgari Black, Christian Dior Pure Poison, L'Artisan La Chasse aux Papillons, Annick Goutal Le Chevrefeuille, Tom Ford Black Orchid. She also wears three fragrances that she says have come the closest to fitting her requirements for a signature scent: Givenchy Fleur de Interdit, Stella McCartney Stella In Two Peony and Estee Lauder Pleasures Exotic.
Becca likes peony, freesia, water lilies, hyacinth, tropical flowers...basically the whole garden. She also likes amber, cashmere, musk and sandalwood. She doesn't like heady cloying white flowers (and in that category she includes Annick Goutal Gardenia Passion and Le Jasmin, Robert Piguet Fracas). She also doesn't like too much patchouli, cedar, vanilla, too much fruit, cardamon or heavy oriental spices, or churchy incense.
What say you?
See a complete list of Monday Mail articles.
Note: image is ei, seu carteiro! by .mands. at flickr; some rights reserved.
My picks for gorgeous-but-not-cloying white florals are White Linen, Diorissimo, La Chasse aux Papillons Extreme (try the regular La Chasse too), and Jo Malone Orange Blossom (very pretty, but doesn't last). And I'm imagining Becca in a fuzzy pink angora sweater, carrying a big gun — love it!
L'Artisan Parfumeur L'Eté en Douce, Chasse both 🙂 Coco Mademoiselle.
Love the Diorissimo and La Chasse…was thinking also of Diptyque L'Ombre dans L'eau once you get past the green. It's very green at first. Good luck on your search, Becca!
Creed Spring Flower – same feel as La Chasse aux Papillons, more 'flowery' to my nose.
YSL Elle – lots of peony, and though it has patchouli in the base it's a very nice floral with some fruit.
Bond No. 9 West Side – I haven't smelled it, but the notes appear to match her preferences.
Greetings, Becca,
Since you liked the Stella McCartney Peony, I wonder if you'd like Vert pivoine by Histoire des parfums–it opens with a cut-stem green note, with a little pepperiness, then a nice peony with a sort of cut grass note, not at all cloying. It lasts pretty well on me. In a different direction, maybe something simple like Ivoire by Balmain, opens green and dries down to a balanced white floral, and has the advantage of being inexpensive.
Creed Spring flower is a great suggestion!
I am recently discovering the house of Penhaligon's and I must say that I absolutely adore Lily and Spice. I can't even describe it but it smells like a real lily flower. Did You ever realise that when You actually smell a lily flower it has it's own spicy undertone?
I can also suggest Elenisia, which is a soft, fresh flower mix and smells very nice. I am not a floral person (except for iris and lavender:))) but lily and spice is now among my favorites, Elemisia is very nice but probably for someone who loves soft florals.
One more will be my other new favorite… Fresh Strawberry Flowers! At first I thought it was going to be something that screams Sephora! I thought it was going to be an overly sweet strawberry mess… but actually, it's so nice and I like it! It smells like strawberry flowers, fresh, slightly sweet, slightly tart and very relaxing. The best part? It lasts for hours and hours on me, how does that happen, I have no idea…. but it also still smells like strawberry flowers even after several hours.
Hi all,
White Linen (discreet, tasteful clean floral) or Estee (happy, sparkling & outgoing).
Jo Malone White Jasmine & Mint (mint adds a green but not sharp note). If the Kodo Woods are added back into the line, the Lotus Blossom & Water Lilly, amazing staying power, soft floral and pretty.
The following two are my top pics for you though…..
Antonia's Flowers-Floret, with a top note of sweet pea combined with marigold, apricot, lily of the valley, rose and tuberose. It's very fresh and green.
YOSH U4EAHH! 2.43 -pomegranate, cucumber, water lily and pear that is completely mouthwatering. Sounds fruitier than it actually is. This is lighthearted and green/sparkly.
Hi,
Becca must at least sample the newest fragrance from LesNez called Manoumalia. Think white/tropical flowers with a hint of earthiness. One of the most unique scents I have come across recently. I bought a bottle right after sampling. INot cloying or loud. It has a very natural feel to it.
You can order a sample through LuckyScent.
Manoumalia notes –
Fragrea, vetiver, tiare, ylang ylang, amber, sandalwood
~Dawn
What about FM's Carnal Flower, Reminiscence Do Re, or the floral and dirty LesNez Manoumalia? In terms of tropicals, what about Saffron James line? Very feminine and romantic, in my opinion, and definitely floral without being too heady.
ooops, just noticed Dawn posted Manoumalia right before me, so I second, and now third, her suggestion!
Hi Becca. How about Parfums de Nicolai Le Temps d'une Fete?
Looks like we are on the same page. 🙂 Great scent, isn't it? I just fell head over heels for it.
And I second the Saffron James line. I like UME from that line. I haven't tried the new one in this line yet. Have you?
~Dawn
Rebecca – you might be interested to try the following:
Miller Harris Fleur du Matin – it starts out with a very fresh grass like galbanum, and then works down to a soft beautiful white flowers fragrance. It is very pretty.
Since you like AG Chevrefeuille, I'll suggest Calypso Christianne Celle Chevrefeuille (also reviewed on NST) that is a very fresh honeysuckle/orange blossom/petitgrain and softens up to a nice light musky base.
I'll also suggest Givenchy Les Mythiques Le De, which smells very fresh and summery with good white flowers and just a wee bit of tuberose, but nothing choking. (You may also want to try Givenchy III which is about as green as it gets!)
Finally, I think you should give a shot at Chanel No 19 edt. I have the reformulated version and I think it is just very natural fresh green iris and vetiver. This sounds nuts, but I also think it is very “sporty” and would certainly go well with jeans and the outdoors.
Hi Becca,
You might try Chanel Beige.
2nd the Manoumalia rec – I love this.
Becca – sorry I got your name wrong. I need some new glasses pronto!
I forgot to add Eau de Camille, by Annick Goutal.
Becca, some great suggestions already. I would also suggest biehl hb01 — fresh, pretty, garden-like, but something very womanly going on underneath — and Montale Sunset Flowers — like a breezy, sensual Mediterranean vacation in a bottle!
I'll second the Vert Pivoine suggestion — I knew I'd smelled something with peony recently, so I'm glad bergere remembered what it was! Very, very pretty stuff…
A big 2nd for Beige.
The original Antonia's Flowers, CdG Series Green: Lily, or Diptyque Do Son would be my suggestions.
Hi Becca,
Have you tried Chanel Gardenia? It sounds like it might be just the thing for you- very soft (not at heady gardenia)- with a chanel green-ness (money green)- give it a whirl!
I second Chanel Gardenia, Beige and Le De.
Diptyque Ofresia is nice, also Comme des Garcons Lily and Ava Luxe lily.
Then there is Ormonde Jayne Champaca and Sampaquita.
Jo Malone Kohdo Woods Day is beautiful, if it ever comes back or if you can get it on Ebay.
I like B by Boucheron though it got no other takers on NST a while back!
Second this one! Similar to Le Chèvrefeuille, but greener.
Sorry – that should be Ava Luxe Water Lily, I think!
I'll third that – it was the first thing that popped into my head because I just tried it recently and thought it nice and fresh without being “fresh”, if you know what I mean.
But I'll keep thinking…
OMG! I was just about to suggest Fracas when I read that she does not like it at all!
If she like fleur dInterdit (isn't that discontinued?) then I suggest Éclat d'Arpège by Lanvin… it has Lilac and Peonies….
Other that comes to mind because of the fleurs d'interdit connection (but the concentration is too soft, because it is a baby's perfume) is Tartine et Chocolat Gransenbon by Givenchy.
Hope this helps!!!
Becca might enjoy Balmain's Ivoire – fresh, green, very soft floral, good lasting power. I second White Linen/Pure White Linen/Pure White Linen Spring Breeze as other scents to try, since she seems to like EL scents.
Okay, I went through my perfume notes and found:
Jitterbug by Opus Oils – Jasmine, Honeysuckle,Lemon essence, orange blossom, ambergris, blond tobacco and sandalwood. This is a really nice floral – not sweet, just garden-y. I've worn it a couple of times and felt very feminine.
Vero Profumo Rubj – orange blossom absolute, jasmine, tuberose, musk – I noted it as sweet with a vegetation undercurrent – all her stuff is pretty interesting. It actually smells to me now a bit like Apres l'Ondee in that kind of library-paste way that is so great. I like Onda better but it might be too whiffy for you.
Strange Invisble Perfumes Moon Garden: tuberose, jasmine, pikake, African Resins. I don't like Fracas and the tuberose in this doesn't do the same thing at all. It smells a little odd and celery-ish but I enjoy wearing it because it is so different and still smells really good. I also like Magazine Street.
Only Ume and Lea which I adore. They are soooooo very expensive and I'm frantically looking for decants!
ormonde jayne frangipani, MPG vocalises, Estaban Pivoine
I was thinking White Jasmine & Mint too, or even better: Marc Jacobs Blush. The two are very similar, but I personally prefer Blush. It's the very essence of romantic white floral tinged with green, I promise!
And how about Yves Rocher Un Jour se Lève (A New Day Dawns, or however it's marketed in English)? That one remains quite spring-y and fresh due to a rhubarb note.
Penhaligon's Artemisia or SL Douce Amère could be contenders, too. Both floral, but with an edge.
Becca, you might enjoy Calypso Christiane Celle Mimosa – not cloying at all. The notes are: “mimosa, rose, and jasmine with a splash of green leaves and an exotic hint of sandalwood.”
Becca would probably like Asprey's Purple Water for a daytime scent.
Mary Hares Franklin
Speaking of Penhaligon's, if you like hyacinth, try Bluebell. I don't know if it actually has hyacinth in it, but that's exactly what it smells like to me.
YSL Elle seems like a bad choice for anyones signature scent, it should be something special and that is definitely not YSL Elle.
I 3rd or 4th Chanel Beige, also No. 19. Have you tried L'Artisan Mimosa pour Moi? Lovely light mimosa with green notes.
What about Divine L'Infante? It's peony and jasmine with a touch of ivy. I don't find it cloying at all but it is incredibly girly and feminine.
My selections for Becca would be Giorgio Armani Sensi WHite Notes, Alfred Sung Sha definately and possibly Estee Lauder White Linen Breeze, and Pure Breeze.
Most people call me Rebecca. Becca is my pet name, so your great. I just woke up. I forgot today was me day on NST. I am so excited! I've been taking it all in.
This is as good a place as any to tell you how impressed I am with everyone's thoughts and give some additional info:
I like green and fresh, but Paris Jardin Romantic, which I wear esp. in the summer, is kind of my ground zero. It is too green, and doesn't have a very warm (sexy, deep, what have you) dry-down. It's not different enough for me and doesn't have as many fresh floral notes as I'd like. I love La Chasse A Pappiions feel, but it doesn't have much of a dry-down. I am hoping the Extreme will offer more.
I like Stella In Two because of the beautiful full bodied peony, and the extreme amber dry-down. I can't believe some people consider it to be too masculine. It is a little strong however.
A lot of the fragrances I like have been called luminous or sparkling. I love Beautiful Loves mix of flowers and green…but it is so weakly concentrated and there is no dicernable base, so I layer it Demeter's Incense and La Occitanes Amber body lotion–sigh, but it still is not right.
Burberry's Tender Touch sounds interesting as does Creeds 2000 flowers. I like and deeply appreciate all the suggestions and will act on most of them.
I thought I might tune the picture a little.
Happy Day!
-Becca
I would also suggest Estee Lauder Aliage – Incredible Green!
Ha, ha ha. You would be right Lilydale. It would be a 12 gauge shot gun and I'd point it at the intruder and say, “Get your hands off my perfume or I'll splatter your head all over my vanity table and are you single?”
I wear La Chasse Aux Pappillons. What is the difference in the
Extreme? I've thought of that, but Lucky Scent doesn't do a great job explaining the difference.
Thanks, Coco Mademoiselle was going to be my next purchase.
– Crabtree & Evelyn's “Island Living” lily scent. Also, if she liked “Black Orchid”, she should also try their “Island Night” fragrance.
– “Kai”
– Yves Rocher's “Neonatura Breathe (or souffle)”
– “Violetta di Parma” Borsari
I second that recommendation for Kai. It's gorgeous.
I'd also suggest Nanette Lepore and Demeter White Bouquet – both nice white florals that aren't cloying.
Creed “Fantasia de Fleurs” is one of their older scents (as in 100+ years old) and I find it very beautiful. I also dislike tuberose and heady white florals. It has Bulgarian rose, iris, ambergris, and I smell jasmine in it too. It's fairly heady and potent with good staying power, yet I don't find it too in-your-face–it's just sort of luscious and very much like going into a real flower garden. You can find small sample vials on 'bay inexpensively to try.
I especially like the “are you single?” part (I'm about ready to proposition burglars myself)! As for La Chasse, I honestly can't remember what the difference is, but I know that I tried both versions, and the Extreme smelled better on me. Maybe try the NST search engine for reviews of each?
Champs Elysees by Guerlain, Kenneth Cole Black, and Un Jardin Sur Le Nil by Hermes might work.
Ooooh wait – just thought of another one that could be perfect: West Side by Bond No. 9. The peony is wonderful in it, and the base is so soft and silky.
For a fresh green floral you can't beat Sabi by Henry Dunay – it's seasonless and sophisticated.
For a softer floral may I suggest Lady Caron with its gentle touch of peach. Both of these are easy to wear for almost anyone, and very suitable for someone who is over 40 but doesn't feel it. That's why I wear them! 😀
Follow-up on Moon Garden – got more tuberose this time, but still might be worth a sniff.
Becca,
You have some great suggestions here. I adore Creed Love in White and Spring Flowers. Creed's Fleurissimo is soft-and I like to blend it with a chypre.
Histoires Vert Pivone is a nice blend of greene and peony. It's definitely worth a try.
I think Black Orchid is wonderful. Tom Ford has come out with the more floral version (can't remember the name). I wonder how that would layer with green notes. Hmmmmmm.
And Becca, I agree with your comments to the post a few days ago of “shut up and make better fragrances”. You go girl!
I third Kai, I am not a fan of white florals but this I like. Also, I love Intense Tiare by Montale. This is the only tiare scent I have liked and especially enjoy the jammy note of this one.
or their “rose pivoine”, it's just a bit too innocent maybe, but nice on a hot summer day
One that just sprang to mind is Wet Garden by Demeter. It doesn't have the staying power I like but it is so nice that I still wear it at times. Perhaps it is better with the matching body lotion but I hate body lotions cos in the miserable heatwave we hare having, you feel like you are covered in slime in the lightest creams. Today it was 43 degrees celcius and won't cool for another week or so. OH GOODY! Anyway, Wet Garden is a cheap thrill and really does smell like a beautiful garden after a downpour.
Now I need to explore this Demeter line. I've only smelled the annoying candy-floss-types.
43 C?? It's about -20 in Montreal.
Hi Becca! I agree with those who recommended the following: Henry Dunay Sabi, Ormande Jayne Champaca, Diptyque Do Son, Kai, L'Artisan Fleur de Liane, and Lotus Blossom & Water Lily. I consider Lotus Blossome & Water Lily an incense scent, but it's a beautiful light incense – not churchlike at all, to my sniffer. That new LesNez Manoumalia sounds very promising, too. I can't wait to try it!
Best of luck with your quest.
I'll second Calypso Mimosa – it's very soft and pretty.
Becca – thanks for the additional input. Another frag you may wish to try is the Les Mythiques Givenchy L'Interdit. (There were some threads about this a few posts back in the Boucheron B review.) It's not “green” but has a wonderul, soft, ambery and long lasting dry down. It is very feminine, plush and has a nice very soft fruit-floral opening. The dry down lasts for a very long time, and I think this could be worn for any type of occasion. The original version of L'Interdit was Audrey Hepburns signature scent.
Also Annick Goutal Heure Exquise has an amazing sandalwood dry down. It starts with a lovely green galbanum & rose/iris opening (a little aldehydes here, but not too much), and just morphs into a warm, soft, non-sweet sandalwood that lasts forever. Heure Exquise is one of my HG fragrances, and it is very very pretty. The body oil version of this is also amazing though with a little less of the floral opening, and it smells great all year round. (You can pick up the body oil for a good price at on-line discounters.) Good luck!
I also can't believe I didn't mention Guerlain's Chamade. If you want head-swooning, romantic green florals with vanilla ambery base, this is it.
Dandelion is a good Demeter, too! I also like Wet Garden.
I would very happily swap with you. I am weird in actually LIKING the cold. I really am in the wrong country. We just finished up Tour Downunder, which is a cycling event where Lance Armstrong was racing and they are so lucky that this stupid heat decided to give them a reprieve.
I don't mind the cold, it's the skin-blistering- freezing I hate. By the way, we have another storm today; another 20 cm. It's also blowing snow so visiblity is nil. That means you can barely drive! It's hard to choose a scent for a day like today. Need something warming but since I'm stuck indoors with baby, can't be anything too 'expensive' like my precious Annam or Bois des Iles….
ah, I say wear what you enjoy as it will make you happy. Yesterday was a stifling 45.5 degrees! I swear that it won't be long before it is unhabitable here in Adelaide. We are running out of water fast also so soon we will be a desert. Anyone who doesn't believe in global warming should see the river down here. You can virtually walk accross it down near the mouth. As for perfume, there is virtually nothing bearable in this weather. I wore Voluspa Jasmine and brown sugar yestereday that didn't overwhelm me.
Becca here. I am writing down and sending off for all the samples I can, excepting of course the one's I've already tried or own. I really love this post. I hope Robin keeps it. It is fun to me to track down a scent based on notes and personality. I always seem to come up with something interesting to me while I'm at i t.
I forgot to mention I like wisteria. Has anyone ever tried Chantecaille's Wisteria?
It's hard to respond to everyone who made suggestions.I don't know how Robin does it! So I'll thank you all where I can and thank you all collectively. Thank you especially Robin! I know I'll find something I love with all these suggestions. And if anyone has more… Keep them coming! I want to find that soul-mate perfume. Don't we all?
Joy,
Becca
Thank you, and I love your screen name.
Thanks TexasSnow. I will try Bond No. 9 West side. I like Elle, it's not as fresh as I'd like. And if I loved a frag., it makes no difference who makes it.
-Joy
Becca
I looked up notes on OzMos and Ivorie by Balmain. Will try both. There is also the Eau De Ivory. Wouldn't be great if I loved an inexpensive scent? Yippee!
That is just unbearably hot! I'm scared to think of all those people suffering (the elderly, the sick, young children/babies, homeless, etc.). Stay hydrated and indoors!
By the way, the brown sugar didn't feel too sticky sweet in the heat? Ages ago, Robin (I think), or maybe Angela, suggested keeping Jean Nate in the fridge to apply after a cool bath. I do that with 4711. It is so refreshing!
The Brown sugar wasn't too bad. It isn't that strong so it was ok. I do keep a bottle of rosewater in the fridge for spritzing that works well. The stupid thing with this weather is that it doesn't stop idiots laying out on the beach baking themselves. No wonder we have the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world. I have being wearing Angel Schleisser Eau Gingembre for men and women layered on top of each other and these work well in the heat. I feel really bad for firefighers and others that can't avoid the weather.