After My Own Heart (2006)
by Ineke

My favorite flowers are Lilacs. So you can imagine how extremely Thankful I was to find all the Basenotes reviews describing this scent. I am more than happy to agree with all your reviews. The lilac scent holds true and yet it doesn't over power as my fresh lilacs can at times. I believe Ineke has honored the Lilac with the exquisite manner she has blended it. The subtle wafts of sandalwood, bergamot, raspberry and musk seem to hold the Lilac scent in a tender embrace without overpowering it. From the moment I sampled it, to the time I left the store with it - I smiled a soulful smile. "After My Own Heart" is the perfect name it - for it truly is After My Own Heart.

7th January, 2012.

The aesthetic of AFTER MY OWN HEART approximates something like a cross between FERRE edp and Bond no 9 EAU DE NOHO. I'm not sure why since neither iris nor violets are listed among the notes, but there you have it, my honest, untutored reaction to this gorgeous perfume. AFTER MY OWN HEART features, instead, lilac, and may actually represent the strict antithesis of both the Caron violet perfume, AIMEZ MOI, and Guerlain INSOLENCE (that is, no added dextrose or plastic notes).

The Ineke is also more complex and perfumey than, say, the purple floral offerings of Christian Celle, Borsari or Jean-Charles Brosseau; or the Prada iris trio. This composition is also less masculine than purple perfumes such as Yves Rocher IRIS NOIR or Acqua di Parma IRIS NOBILE. If the truth be told, I love nearly all purple-floral perfumes (the notable exceptions are post-nuclear-holocaust-perfume-Hall-of-Famer Guerlain INSOLENCE. and Caron AIMEZ MOI, which induces in me a diabetic coma in the opening minutes...) Each of these distinct compositions has its own special purple properties, and after testing AFTER MY OWN HEART, I have found another must-have for my growing collection of fine purple floral creations.

30th July, 2011.

A bit like "Lys Mediterranee" in that it actually smells EXACTLY like the flower it's supposed to - in this case, lilac. I have always wanted a lilac perfume that didn't smell like toilet-freshener, and here it is. Oddly, since lilac is such a short-season flower, it just feels wrong to wear it any time other than April-May, but you bet I'm persisting. Ver nice.

4th November, 2010.

This scent makes me think of those sunny fall days following a rainy period when the spring flowers are tricked into thinking that it;'s time to bloom again-

After My Own Heart skips the top notes on me, as sun-warmed lilac immediately grabs the steering wheel- then the ambery base notes start to take over, and it's a tug of war between the spring heart notes and the autumnal base notes, until fall finally takes hold...

25th September, 2010. (Last Edited: 3rd October, 2010.)

You are a girl, you love lilac.
Don't try others, this is fresh lilac that doesn't smell like a granny but like a young classy lady.
I'm sure nothing else will come close to lilac like this one.
This fragrance is to lilac what Diorissimo is to lily of the valley (muguet).
Oh, and this stuff has a very decent longevity and the sillage is not overpowering!
This is a winner!
(This fragrance is for women, but some very open minded men could use it too, but I won't.)
Thumbs up!

25th February, 2009.

This has instantly become my favorite lilac based scent. Fresh, natural, breezy, like a breath of Spring coming from my tiny sample bottle. Other reviewers have already described this beautiful fragrance far better than I could. I will mention that on me one spritz was all I needed, and it lasted for many hours. Full bottle worthy.

24th August, 2008.