FlowerbyKenzo (2000)
by Kenzo

Alberto Morilla's interpretation of what the poppy flower would smell like if it were to have a scent, combining the best of rose, jasmine and violet leaf notes to create an illusory floral accord. To my nose FLOWER BY KENZO feels voluptuous, textured with a mild powdery sweetness that draws me into its depth. Not the most enchanting floral I've encountered but certainly one of the most feminine.

*** This review is of the EDP ***

Flower Eau de Parfum opens on a brisk green floral accord that’s at once smooth and refreshing. Violet leaf and violet blossom soon separate themselves from the blend, while suggestions of muguet (lily-of-the-valley) and acacia fill out the dewy spring bouquet. Just a little less roundness, a little less blending of notes, and Flower would smell like air freshener. It’s all squeaky clean – maybe even a little bit clinical – but absent the melon-aquatic notes (over)used in so many of today’s bright florals, the composition manages to keep on the right side of cheap-smelling.

Flower’s foundation consists mostly of soapy white musk and soft woods. Because the basenotes are not sweet, the scent maintains its crystalline clarity right through to the end. I would describe both its sillage and projection from the skin as moderate, and once its central floral bouquet is assembled, it remains stable for at least four hours before beginning its collapse into drydown. Flower is an easy-wearing, happy scent that manages to feel fresh while avoiding modern fresh-floral clichés. I think of it as a space age Diorissimo: equally limpid, luminous, and vernal, but tricked out in a shiny new metallic finish. I like it.

one of the best female perfumes in production for young ladies.
once you smell it on the appropriate skin, you can't stop asking for it.
it is so clean, so femini, so nice that you will love it for life. Smell like sweet flowers, powder but in any way, a very nice female perfume!

When this perfume was released I detested it. Far too powdery and overwhelming. However, later my cousin gave me the EDP in a dab on bottle. I avoided it for months, but then discovered that a mere two drops on the nap gave the most wonderously different result. It permeates gently but arousingly. Feminine, playful and uplifting. The powder is still there, which is not usually an element I enjoy, but it is augmented by the rose and violets to bring it out of the matron's water closet.

Kenzo Flower Parfum is fantastic. It is luxurious and lingering. My fiance is confused about it as he doesn't relly like it but it reminds him of when we first met. It is quite a bold and lasting scent, perfect for wintertime. I find myself reaching for it whenever I go to a ball or out for an expensive meal. I find it sophisticated and memorable.

Flower by Kenzo EDP and Parfum comparison

Left arm: Kenzo Flower EDP
Right arm: Kenzo Flower Parfum

Not sure if this was mentioned in previous reviews, but these seem to be 2 different fragrances, irrelevant of concentration.

On first spray, the EDP is a bit like play-do or latex rubber. It is not as "rubbery" as the latex note I get in Sarah Jessica Parker Covet or most of the Gaultiers, and it has quite a bit a fruit up front, sort of a peach-orange combination (nectarine?) along with a synthetic floral bouquet. Ok, ok, it is a fruity floral with some lactonic "milky" quality. Within 20-30 minutes, the sharpness of the fruit & flower softens to a bit of a soapy note, and is a little bit tart or sour. In fact, it is almost a plastic smell, or maybe a bit like old lipstick (sort of waxy). It reminds me of those dolls that have scented hair. Not bad, but if I had to base my decision to purchase on this one wearing, I would give it a pass.

The parfum initially has more emphasis on the latex note with less fruit, and is more powdery with what seems to be a light amber. I would not say it is significantly heavier or stronger than the EDP. Rather, it is more resinous and rich, maybe more of an evening scent. The florals are less bright in this one, probably tempered by the amber notes. Of the two scents, it has more of the same qualities of Kenzo Amour, which I love. Unlike Kenzo Amour, Kenzo Flower Parfum penetrates my senses gradually with softness. I find it more in the "Amour" family than the special edition Indian Holi (which basically smelled like Amour with red cinnamon candle wax). However, the amber notes are not stellar, and with the sourness of the fruit and floral wafting in an out, I am not sure this one is FBW either. Having said that, it is definitely the more enjoyable of the two!

Much later: Everything has dried down nicely...even the Kenzo Flower lost its dense waxyness to reveal a soft powdery floral underneath. Unfortunately I sensed hints of ammonia, darn it all, this aromachemical sensitivity!