Lily of the Valley - Muguet des Bois

Penhaligon's Lily & Spice is great.
I haven't smelled any of the others that you mentioned, but this one is soft, pretty, live-smelling, and interesting. I really liked it.

I love lily of the valley - particularly the living plant & blossoms. I have Diorissimo edt, which I enjoy in late winter just before spring has truly arrived (whatever the calendar says). It's uplifting and cheering while winter seems to drag on and you are longing for spring. But I like it anytime really. I don't know Coty's Muguet des Bois but I've heard it's very nice. A lovely Basenoter sent me a sample of Guerlain's Muguet, and that's also very pure and true to the flower, similar to Diorissimo. I love to shower with muguet scented shower gel or soap, it has an uplifting effect on me. Crabtree & Evelyn used to make a nice one. I don't know whether it's been discontinued. There is a lovely fragrance by Bourbon French Perfumery called La Pluie that is muguet-based. When I go back to New Orleans one day I will buy some (you can purchase from them online, but it's more fun to visit the shop).

I just tried some Comme des Garcons Lily (leaves series) (again, thank you, Twolf), and finally I've found a L-O-T-V fragrance that smells true on my skin. I guess I needed the added greenness of the leaves. I can see craving this for a time every spring.

Here is the Bourbon French website: http://www.neworleansperfume.com/index2.htm

I think if you call them they will send you samples.

The Perfumed Court sells samples of Comme des Garcons Lily. Don't know if they mail to Europe.
Here's their description: A fresh, green combination of lily and freesia flowers, together with lilac leaves and dog rose buds. Series 1 Leaves: Lily is an eau de toilette, edt, and was created by Florence Idier.

In Europe, First In Fragrance carries it.
And here's their description: An absolutely gorgeous combination of the much-loved lily and freesia flowers, together with the extremely smooth notes of green syringe (lilac leaves) and dog rose buds, Lily is never drowned in grassy or herbaceous green. Instead, the subtle leaf notes merely round out the fragrance, imparting a fresh (and definitely tart) crispness to the languid florals.

If I had more than a sample, I'd send you some.

I thought Caron had a LOV scent - called simply Muguet, I believe. That one might be worth sampling.

Totally non-perfume comment here, so feel free to slap me, but my French aunt always wears a sprig of lily of the valley on May 1st - she says it's very lucky to wear it on that day. I think it's a traditional French custom (she's from the french Alps, if that matters).

Coty's Muguet des Bois was my first fragrance ever. I asked for, and received a bottle for my 8th grade graduation-- it was one of those bell-shaped bottles, splash, not spray. I have many other fragrances but that one will always be very special to me, and I do have bottles of it hoarded away. From before they changed the formula.

I also like C&E's Lily of the Valley, but not the current version-- again, I prefer the older version, discontinued about 4-5 years ago. If you haven't smelled it, it is *very* similar to Molinard's Les Fleurs de Provence Muguet.

In summer I like to carry Taylor of London's Lily of the Valley ice cologne stick-- so refreshing! For some reason I don't like the smell of the spray but love the ice stick; go figure.

The following have not worked on me:

Annick Goutal's Muguet (musty, stuffy)
Dior Lily 2004 (for some odd reason it reminds me of the huge carnivorous plant in "Little Shop of Horrors"-- there is something of the swamp in its smell)
Caron Muguet du Bonheur (soapy)
Diorissimo (also soapy)
Avon LOTV-- it's been a long time since I smelled it
Floris LOTV-- didn't smell right, I can't recall why
Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria Lilia Bella (smell is reminiscent of fresh asphalt on me)
Yardley LOTV-- (acrid on me)

I am ALWAYS looking for another LOTV to love!

This scent of Lily of the valley really does something for me. It settles my thoughts. Does that make sense? It really does, although I love other themes if perfumes too, LOTV settles me and makes me feel organized . Hard to describe what a scent does, but I need more of it on my dresser of perfumes. When ever AI see it as an ingredient in a perfume I take note.

Have been sampling Corrida by Satelight which is real ripe fruity. I noticed it has lily of the valley in it as I read the ingredients although it doesn't come out full blown. Pure White linen by Estee Lauder is full of a lily of the valley scent. Debut by DelRae is a green lily of the valley it seems.

I love lily of the valley and could use at least 2 more perfumes of it. There's so much beauty in this scent. I need more of it. Only have Pure White linen, Diroissimo (8th left), and this "Fendi" oil that I found- it's ceder and lily of the valley. Don't think it's the original Fendi. Got it from Kuwait.

One more thing- I tried Hyde Park oil from Possets oils and that one is a salty lilac one, a kin to LOTV. Anyone ever tried it? It was something worth trying although a little light for my taste, I could buy it some day after I get over this tuberose kick I am on.

You got me interested in Sunwater Lancaster. Here's the description from fragrantica.com :

Sunwater by Lancaster is a floral green fragrance for women. Sunwater was launched in 1997. Top notes are ylang-ylang, bergamot and lemon; middle notes are grenade blossom and jasmine; base notes are amber, sandalwood and vetiver.

No lily of valley listed, but I know how that goes- you smell it in there and the specific ingredient isn't listed. If I'm out shopping and see this somewhere, I'll have to spray it because the price is right- about 24.00 for 1.7 ounces.

I've worn Muguet Des Bois since I was a teenager . I only use a few scents and chose all of them by the time I went to college. Muguet was for spring-I'm craving it now because I live in California-and even though my Christmas tree is still up,I know that around the 14th,the first orange poppy will appear on the hillside. My mother's name was Lili. Our first house in the U.S. had a field of Lily of the Valley behind the house. I also need a new bottle of 4711.Yesterday I ordered some vintage Mitsouko. And I'm fully stocked on Shalimar. I can hibernate now.

I reach for Lily of the Valley scents at the first touch of spring, then move to hyacinth (I have a hard time finding) and lilac. It's my refreshing scent change after a fall and winter of wearing woody and spicy scents.

I haven't used Coty Muguet des Bois in many years and haven't had the urge try it again so it can't have worked that well for me.

Two of my surprise favorites for LOTV are Jessica McClintock and Lulu Guinness. These are classified as white floral green and I think the "green" in them gives these the right touch for a LOTV scent. Even though these both could be considered white floral scents, I find that in reviews, many people get the lighter LOTV smell instead of a heavier white floral.

Another one that works for me is Avon's Flower by Cynthia Rowley. Again, characterized as a white floral but I get LOTV.

The one scent that (based on reviews and notes) I should enjoy for Spring/LOTV is Cacharel's Anais Anais. But, I couldn't wear it - I either got an old bottle or it just doesn't mix with my chemistry. Maybe I should try it again.

I love lilac.I tried for years to grow them and every success meant we were moving.In spring,for years,The first thing I could remember,after standing in line for hours for the Juanita Antique Sale,was this enormous bunch of lilacs. Our home has been in foreclosure for 4 years-Since election Day 2008.It always said hope. I would love to have the name of some Lilac perfume.I have a lilac spray for bed linens.I bought it when I was in the South of France. Then I came back to reality and 3 children.Anais Anais is a real favorite of mine but till I stumbled on this site,I've abandoned perfume,dressing up,jewelry,life. I sit around like a big toad.So many flies and no appetite. Thank you! I will order a bottle of LOTV today. I just asked my husband to get me real lilies of the valley and a few nice dark lilac bushes from a catalogue since they replace plants that don't thrive.I'd forgotten how much I loved perfume. How could I do that? I lost my sense of smell and taste.

Here are some lilac fragrances I know about.

Currently being sold:

Soliflores:

1. Pacifica French Lilac. sold at Whole Foods, some Sephora stores and on the Pacifica website where they now also sell samples of the perfume solids. This is very economical and the body butter is highly fragranced and long lasting.

2. Highland Lilac of Rochester-- gives the impression of cut lilacs in a vase of water. Longer-lasting than most lilac fragrances. Sold by the website of the same name. They also sell their own 2 ml spray samples.

3. Demeter Lilac cologne (not their so-called 100% Natural Lilac eau de toilette, which smells nothing like lilac.) Lasts a good 3-4 hours. Not quite as natural smelling as some.

4. Yves Roches Pur Desir de Lilas I have not smelled it. I've read that it gets powdery.

The following are not soliflores but have a distinct lilac note:

5. Ineke After My Own Heart See the Ineke website.
She sells a sample pack for $25; if you go on to buy a bottle, the full $25 is applied toward the bottle purchase.

6. Frederic Malle En Passant. See Barneys stores to buy, or Frederic Malle boutique.


Discontinued ones:

7. Jo Malone White Lilac & Rhubarb. This is my favorite lilac. It was a spring 2012 limited edition. I just see decants of it being sold on eBay at present, but last summer I saw some of the 100ml bottles at Saks in Boston. If you like this fragrance, I would call Saks in your area and ask the check whether any of their stores still have a bottle available to buy.

8. Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Lilia Bella
Bottles pop up on eBay occasionally. I like this one-- it's more LOTV than lilac.


We had a discussion thread a few years back when we passed around samples of lilacs:
http://www.basenotes.net/threads/274...mbers-USA-only

Mine too, 30 Roses! It made me feel so special to be wearing perfume like my Mom & older sister. I have a bottle stashed away for the times I'm feeling nostalgic!

I'm not sure if it is a matter of idiosyncratic skin chemistry or simply a mislabelled sample but, on me, Hermes Eau des Merveilles has a prominent (and gorgeous) Lily of the Valley note. If I could be certain of my sample, I'd order a bottle.

BPAL Dragon's Eye is a resinous lilac and LOTV fragrance I quite adore (and one of the few BPALs that works with my chemistry).

+1 for Molinard Muguet. Fresh and inexpensive.