I remember being a big fan of the Italian niche line i Profumi di Firenze a number of years ago, but I have to confess that I've lost track of their recent activity. I don't blame the brand; my ignorance is mostly a result of the fact that the line isn't as widely available in New York as it once was, and I don't always get around to placing online sample orders of new releases. I have fond memories of i Profumi's Florentia 22, Violetta di Bosco, and Caterina de Medici, so when a sample vial of the Frangipane e Cocco came my way, I decided to give it a try.
Frangipane e Cocco has notes of coconut, blood orange, frangipani and frankincense and is billed as a feminine fragrance. After trying it a few times, I like it, although it wasn't quite what I expected: it's less floral and feminine than it sounds. Its opening phase is even a touch animalic, with some kind of musky note that has a dirty-hair effect. This bit of "skank" surprised me, especially since it shows up at the top of the fragrance. However, the rest of the fragrance is milder and more of a light gourmand. Its coconut accord is creamy, without any greenness or earthiness. There's definitely some nutty, milky vanilla in the middle and base; i Profumi di Firenze has always done a nice job with vanilla scents, and they carry on that tradition in Frangipane e Cocco. However, if you're looking for a tropical floral fragrance, you may be disappointed: I really can't detect much frangipani here at all.
I've never had a favorite coconut fragrance, apart from a brief flirtation with Pilar and Lucy's The Exact Friction of the Stars about a decade ago, but I do like sampling coconut scents once in a while, usually in warmer weather. I'd group Frangipane e Cocco with Sarah Horowitz Coconut Milk, another easy-to-wear coconut-inspired fragrance that avoids smelling like suntan lotion or a giant macaroon. This one is a little more gourmand than the Sarah Horowitz perfume, but it's not overly sweet, and it's subtle enough to be worn in warmer weather. I'm not sure what's particularly Florentine about Frangipane e Cocco, and I have to say that I prefer i Profumi di Firenze's earlier, Renaissance-inspired offerings, but maybe I'm over-thinking things. Even the Medici must have wanted to escape to the beach once in a while.
I Profumi di Firenze Frangipane e Cocco is available as 50 ml ($99) Eau de Parfum. For purchasing information, see the listing for i Profumi di Firenze under Perfume Houses.
Note: top image is What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us [cropped] by legends2k at flickr; some rights reserved.
thanks Jessica, was curious about this one. Not convenient to get my hands on this brand either. Would expect something more tropical/feminine, based on the notes (and would prefer tropical to gourmand).
Hm, maybe we’ll get some good suggestions from other tropical-floral lovers. I remember liking Ormonde Jayne’s Frangipani. Comptoir Sud Pacifique has Aloha Tiare, although I can’t remember how vanilla-heavy that one is…
I have a little travel-sized bottle of CSP’s original Tiare. Glad you reminded me of it. I hear the Aloha Tiare pales in comparison…the usual perfumista lament. I like OJ’s Frangipani too.
Aurore Nomade form The Different Company is a stunning tropical floral.It has an unusual combination of notes including Banana flower and star fruit accords, cinnamon, aquatic notes, nutmeg, rum, davana, fair-trade ylang-ylang from Madagascar, Egyptian geranium, clove, plumeria, indole, immortelle absolute, sandalwood, amber, vanilla, musk.The tropical notes of plumeria and ylang ylang are balanced beautifully by the rum,davana,and immortelle.It also has a slight marine, beach like air to it.You really feel like your on a tropical island.And it lasts forever.It’s truly unique.The Frangipane e Cocco sounds interesting.I’ll have to try it.Thanks for the review!
RVB, that’s an excellent recommendation for Galbanumgal and anyone else! Thanks.
Unlike you, I do have a favorite coconut perfume. It’s actually one of my very favorite perfumes – Venus Sands by Ava Luxe. For me, it’s Hawaii in a bottle – gardenia and coconut – it’s just wonderful. Unfortunately, she doesn’t offer it anymore, so I’ve been looking for a replacement. The closest that I’ve found so far is Annick Goutal’s Songes, but it doesn’t have coconut, just the creamy white flowers (and some vanilla, I think). The name of this one had me hopeful, but it sounds like this isn’t going to be the one – I want the tropical floral. Thanks for the wonderful review.
Sunski, I have a few old Ava-Luxe favorites, too, although I’ve never tried Venus Sands. Too bad! Songes is lovely, even if it’s not very tropical.
No frangipani? Ah, well that’s a disappointment. Last year I fell in love with a frangipani scented soap made by a local manufacturer here in Australia, and co-incidentally had a chance to smell real frangipani in bloom for the first time in years. The soap is actually a great representation of the flower, because to my nose the flower has a soapy quality anyway.
I bought the OJ Frangipani hoping to get it in a perfume, but I find it pale and uninteresting. I was not willing to spend more dollars hunting for my ideal frangipani scent, so I’m contenting myself with the soap, which I use to scent my bath towels. In the linen cupboard, each towel has its own bar of soap tucked into its folds. My daughter thinks I’m a bit batty, but she does not complain about the scent!
Oh, that soap sounds wonderful!!
Jessica, thanks for bring up this brand. I’ve been curious about it but unsure if it was worth the effort to sample. To be honest, I’m feeling like I already have a life-time supply of unsniffed samples lying about. Which might include IPdF, actually. 🙂
Amazing how those samples multiply when you’re not looking. I have decided to not buy any more samples until I’ve tested everything I have (Of course, I’m not sure it’s possible to test everything because I keep wanting to wear the stuff I already love)
Nozknoz, it *is* a nice line, and it’s been around for a while — I think it got more attention when the market wasn’t so crowded with newer niche lines!
I am a bit of a “frangipani nut”, although after awhile even I need a break from the sweeter “cloying” scents. I do have OJ Frangipani in bath oil and perfume; heartily recommend the oil as it scents skin and home. I do not particularly care for the Luxe, but I know I may be in the minority.
Kenzo Amour has the flower, as does its flanker “I Love You” which is currently at Ulta. If you really love sweet honeysuckle/frangipani, snatch up Tommy Bahama in the pink box while you can (TJ Maxx carries it sometimes); it has an 80’s vibe with strong silage. For “winter” I like Chantecaille Frangipane, which is warm and has an abundance of vanilla. Lastly, Huitieme Art Parfilums has Manguire Metisse which has frangipani and mango, two trees that were in my yard as a child so I had to buy it! It is a bit too “masculine” for me (and comes on strong!) but the drydown is worth the wait.
Thanks for the review, and for all of the recommendations. The search for the best frangipani never ends…
Amarie121, thanks for this comment — I think this will be helpful for many frangipani-seeking readers!
Hmm … had great expectations of this one, also along the tropical line.
My first encounter with the frangipani / coconut duo was in Tom Ford’s lovely Azuree Soleil. It had additional citrusy and hot sand notes and it was amazing. When Estee Lauder later reformulated it on the cheap as Bronze Goddess, the frangipani note was replaced with a heavy, tuberose-like gardenia. Other people did not seem to detect the change but to me it was a punch in the nose. Punch Your Nose With a Tuberose was more like it.
The frangipani/coconut duo would benefit from lime, lemongrass and citrus for a more tropical feel. Pineapple might be interesting too as long as it’s a green one like in Ananas Fizz. Which has coconut by the way, although not frangipani …
Beautyhabit and Luckyscent have this line. I love Acqua Chiarra. It’s divine. Actually I have spent several hundred dollars on this line and its finally time to wear them. I’m not fond of cocoanut but I’m with the Author, I like the Florentine offerings. I’m just thinking about my Carnal Flower that’s coming on Mothers Day. I cannot wait 100mL of sheer perfection.
Beautyhabit and Luckyscent have this line. I love Acqua Chiarra. It’s divine. Actually I have spent several hundred dollars on this line and its finally time to wear them. I’m not fond of cocoanut but I’m with the Author, I like the Florentine offerings. I’m just thinking about my Carnal Flower that’s coming on Mothers Day. I cannot wait 100mL of sheer perfection.
Luckyscent does not carry I Profumi di Firenze but Barney’s carries the line and I think maybe Aedes also may.
Oops don’t know how that happened.