How Do You Take Your Florals?

Spring appears to be knocking at the gate, if not at the front door, and so it's time for my nose to begin craving florals. Which it's already been doing. The latest casualty is my decant of Frederic Malle's Une Fleur de Cassie, which I drained on Sunday.

And so begins my annual late winter/early spring quest for florals. Many of the florals in my wardrobe today are in the BIG WHITE FLORAL category (I'm a sucker for tuberose and jasmine), so I don't think I want to do more in that vein. And, my goodness, I do love a good violet.

I have been branching out just a bit lately (for example, with a couple of rose fragrances, Sonoma Scent Studio Voile de Violette and Rose Volupte), but I'm rather flumoxed about what direction(s) to take my florals quest -- do I look for something floral fruity? Vegetal rooty? Dark and dangerous (chypres are largely a no-go for me)? Light and airy? Innocent yet flirty?

How do all of you like your florals and why? What are some of your favorites in your various floral categories? Are there any that have been out-of-the-park homeruns? Utter stinkers?

I can't wait to hear about your loves, adventures, and disasters!

I love the Basenotes community! There are some really intriguing suggestions here. I'm going to poke around a bit and compile a sample order. I'll share with you what I order, and I'll try to share my reactions as well once the samples arrive. Seasonal mini-quests with help from all of you may be my favorite thing about fragrance. Thank you all -- and if you have more suggestions, keep 'em coming!


Lillybelle, VC&A Lys Carmin (I think that's the name) was in fact on the sample list I started putting together this weekend!! I think that's rather amazing because I've never seen it mentioned on the the SotD thread ... I love lillies as flowers, but I've only tried two in fragrance -- Serge Lutens Un Lys and Frederic Malle Lys Mediterranee. Those are quite different from each other, but I like each of them very much.

And, to answer your question, Voile de Violette is absolutely wonderful. Here's the list of notes from the Sonoma Scent Studio website: Violet, iris, hint of rose, cedar, vetiver, violet leaf, tonka bean, hay, myrrh.

It's predominantly a violet fragrance, but, on me, the rose is a very strong supporting actress (even though it's characterized as having only a "hint" of rose -- maybe my skin brings it out). The violet is not sweet or powdery in the least, despite the presence of the iris. Rather, I think the iris is of the vegetal type, and it, along with the vetiver and violet leaf, highlight the green, earthy (but *not* mossy) aspects of the violet. Picture a carpet of newly opened violets on wet earth in early spring after a good rain. The violet is both green and lush at the same time, and the rose gives it a jammy, almost plum-like quality in the opening. Then the violet, rose, and cedar share center stage for most of the wearing, at least on me. I have yet to locate the myrrh -- I hope I do find it because I love myrrh. One of Laurie's signatures, I think, is to anchor her fragrances with cedar and tonka bean, but the tonka seems to smooth out VdV rather than to sweeten it. If you'd like to sample it, let me know as I just purchased a full bottle of it last month.

Oh, and Voile de Violette has *amazing* longevity. I wore it the other day and could still smell it in my hair in the shower after more than 24 hours!

- - - Updated - - -

I have a question for Lillybelle and forfreddie: how present/strong is the honeysuckle in AG Grand Amour and Aftelier Haute Claire? I ask because both of these fragrances otherwise sound like they'd be worth a try, but honeysuckle in fragrance *invariably* gives me a SPLITTING headache. I love the smell of honeysuckle, but every time I try a fragrance with that note, I end up in bed with the curtains pulled and towel wrapped tightly around my head.

GAH!! I've accomplished zero, zilch, nada, squirt, diddly squat today at work (to [badly] quote Julianne Moore in "Assassins"). I'm completely pre-occupied with my florals search. It's so fun, but I know I'll be paying for it the next couple of days.


Yello_cello, you're quite welcome! I have a FB of Wood Violet, too, and they are quite different although you will recognize that lush, jammy violet in both. VdV is softer, more floral, and more green than Wood Violet. There's also no sandalwood or spice in VdV, and those are both very present for me in Wood Violet. In terms of an emotional description, Wood Violet is for me a happy, energetic violet for a bright, sunny spring day. VdV is a quieter, contemplative violet for a foggy or rainy spring day. I think both are lovely.

Lillybelle, Yello_cello, and Kalli (and anyone else), if you'd like me to send you samples of the SSS fragrances I have, please let me know. I have FBs of Winter Woods (sweet vanillic amber and smoky woods), Fig Tree (woody, green, earthy fig -- LOVELY), Wood Violet, and Voile de Violette. I've nearly drained my sample of Rose Volupte, or I'd offer that up, too, but I'm nearing a FB purchase of that one.

If you love roses, Laurie does them *very* well -- I personally have struggled with rose as they tend to go all screechy on me. Rose Volupte is the first one that hasn't, and I think it's because of the plum and amber. Jour Ensoleille is another one that I can't quite decide on -- it's a happy chypre (which sounds odd, I know), and I like it more than any other chypre I've tried, but I just haven't fallen for chypres generally, including JE. I keep returning to it, though, as my nearly-depleted sample can attest.

Just PM me if you're interested in samples.

- - - Updated - - -


Forfreddie, I have a sample of Dans Tes Bras, and I enjoy it very much. It's sweeter and softer, like a violet angora sweater, than either Wood Violet or Voile de Violette, where the violets are much more prominent, at least to my nose. They're both worth a try, IMO.

Sometimes it takes me forever to make a decision. Not this time.

Thank you so much, everyone -- your suggestions were wonderful, either in and of themselves or as a jumping off point for research. Here are the samples that made the list:

Caron En Avion (neroli, spicy orange accord, jasmine, opoponax)
Tauer Carillon Pour un Ange (rose, ylang, lilac, lily of the valley, jasmine, leather, ambergris, moss, woods)
L'Artisan Parfumeur Passage d'Enfer (white lily, frankincense, aloe, white musk)
Histoires de Parfums

• 1873 - Colette (Grapefruit, Orange, Citrus, Tangerine, Bergamot, Lime, Lily of the Valley, Orange Blossom, Spring Flowers, Violet, Lavender, Vanilla, Caramel, White Musk )
• 1826 - Eugenie de Montijo (Bergamot, Tangerine, White Flowers, Violet, Cinnamon, Ginger, Patchouli, Amber, Incense, Blond Woods, White Musk, Vanilla)
• 1804 - George Sand (Tahitian Gardenia, Corsica Peach, Hawaiian Pineapple, Clove, Nutmeg, Indian Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Rose of Morocco, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Benzoin, Vanilla, White Musk)
• 1969 (Fruit of the sun, Peach, Rose, White Flowers, Cardamom, Clove, Patchouli, Chocolate, Coffee, White Musk)
• Verte Pivoine (Peony, Ivy Leaves, Rose water, Rose, Mimosa, Gardenia, Rose Berry, Peony, Cedar, Sandal, Musk)

Annick Goutal

• Un Matin d'Orage (magnolia, jasmine sambac from Mysore, Sicilian lemon, Indonesian champac, green perilla leaves, ginger)
• Grand Amour (white Lily, hyacinth, Turkish rose, honeysuckle, heart notes of amber, vanilla and myrrh) [Lillybelle, I decided to roll the dice -- hopefully the honeysuckle stays in the background for me, too ]

Van Cleef & Arpels

• Lys Carmin (lily, pink peppercorn, ylang ylang, vanilla, and sandalwood)
• Muguet Blanc (lily of the valley, white peony, neroli, and white cedar)

Ramon Monegal

• Entre Naranjos (Tunisian orange flower, orange, petitgrain, neroli, amber, Indonesian patchouli)
• Impossible Iris (Italian iris, Egyptian cassiopiae, framboise, ylang-ylang, Egyptian jasmine, Virginia cedarwood)

Aftelier Perfumes -- forfreddie, I chickened out on Haute Claire; I hope Lumiere doesn't kill me!

• Candide (black pepper, blood orange, pink grapefruit, jasmine grandiflorum, Moroccan rose absolute, frankincense, oppopanax absolute, myrrh)
• Honey Blossom (mimosa, linden blossom CO2, orange blossom absolute, ambergris, benzoin)
• Lumiere (honeysuckle, blue lotus, boronia, green tea, ambergris)
• Secret Garden (bergamot, bois de rose, Geraniol, blood orange, jasmine sambac, raspberry (compounded isolate), Turkish rose, blue lotus, civet, castoreum, vanilla, deer tongue, benzoin, aged patchouli)
• Tango (wild sweet orange, fresh ginger, coffee CO2, champaca, choya, blond tobacco, tonka)

Tom Ford Private Blend

• Champaca Absolute (cognac, bergamot, dyer’s greenweed, champaca, orchid, violet and jasmine, vanilla, amber, sandalwood, marron glace)
• Neroli Portofino (bergamot, mandarin orange, african orange flower, amber)

Then there were a few which don't really qualify as florals, but I couldn't resist :
Parfumerie Generale Djenne (grey lavender, mint leaves, seringa blossom, cocoa beans, blue cedar, wheat absolute, myrrh, blond leather accord)
Ramon Monegal

• Mon Cuir (Russian leather, orange flower, Labdaceme, nutmeg, Indonesian patchouli, musk, Australian sandalwood)
• Mon Patchouly (Indonesian patchouli, oak moss absolute, incense, bourbon geranium, Eyptian jasmine, and vegetal amber)
• Cuirelle (Somali incense, Indonesian patchouli, bourbon vetiver, green cedar wood, cinnamon, extract of beeswax)

Hi, iivanita

Very interesting recommendations -- as a matter of fact, I've adored Bois de Violette for several years and finally just ordered a full bottle of it on Friday Excellent choice!

I've also tried Le Temps d'Une Fete -- but it didn't suit me at all for some reason. In fact, I didn't have much luck with Parfums de Nicolai generally due the more classical structure/feel of the entire line. Sigh. I sampled a good number of them, but the only one I could sort of wear is Sacrebleu. It's the same reason I have zero luck with Guerlain and Chanel.

I just received my samples from Aftelier Perfumes, so I've begun sampling those -- Honey Blossom and Lumiere are up first. I really enjoyed forfreddie's blog review of Lumiere.

- - - Updated - - -

I've been wearing Aftelier Perfumes Lumiere and Honey Blossom for a couple of hours now, and I really enjoy both of them although they are quite different.

Lumiere is sheer and delicate. I get very little of the opening "pear drops" that forfreddie describes in his review, but I absolutely agree with his description of the heart of this little gem: "its presence is almost a sensation rather than a scent." It's impressionistic, like a Monet. The blue lotus is the predominant note on my skin (I can't detect *any* green tea or frankincense on my skin ), and it is soft, diaphanous, and lovely without being *watery*. The interesting thing for me is that the heart of Lumiere has something in common with Dans Tes Bras -- that slightly salty, warm skin effect that balances and gives some shape to the otherwise sheer blue lotus.

Lumiere is definitely different from my other florals, and I can't stop sniffing the back of my hand. In that sense, Lumiere is a success in my experiment. But at 3 hours in, it's barely a skin scent now. And at $210 for 30ml, that's relevant.

Why, thank you, lilybelle I'll do my best.

As for L'Heure Bleue, that's a strike for me, too. Classical fragrances are just not my thing. I don't know if it's the structure, the notes, or what ... But I've just had zero success with all the Guerlains and all of the Chanels except for Coco.

- - - Updated - - -

So, I tested Aftelier Secret Garden today. I sprayed it this morning and at 4:00 pm, I can still smell it, so it certainly has more staying power than Lumiere. Unfortunately for me, that's not a great thing. I wish Lumiere had the staying power instead. (My impressions of Lumiere are below in post #30.)

Forfreddie, I know you love this one, but it didn't work for me. It leaves me pretty cold, in fact, and it has nothing to do with the frigid temperatures outside.

The perfumer indicates that the inspiration for this fragrance is the novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett, which I loved as young girl. Ironically, however, the fragrance develops on me in reverse order -- rather than starting out a barren garden and then awakening and blooming, it starts out with a cheerful brightness, thanks to the blood orange and bergamot, which I enjoyed. I got a quick hit of jasmine, and then it completely withered into powder with just a hint of rose. And there it's stayed. All. Day. Long. Sigh.

There was a point in the withering where it felt a bit like Une Fleur de Cassie, specifically in the mid-range of UFdC's development, and I could sort of see how Secret Garden was *supposed* to be working. It just didn't work on me. I much prefer Une Fleur de Cassie, where the mimosa is a bit powdery, but the underlying funk is just fabulous. I swoon.

Secret Garden strikes me as a modern fragrance with a classical vibe, sort of like the fragrances from Parfums de Nicolai. And, as I've mentioned before, whether it's Guerlain, Chanel, PdN, or Secret Garden, the classical thing just doesn't suit me. I've tried for a couple of years now, but I can't do more than appreciate them. They just aren't for me. But for someone who enjoys classical fragrances, I think Secret Garden could be wonderful.

Next up is Annick Goutal Un Matin d'Orage.

The gardenia in Un Matin d'Orage is a very "pretty" gardenia. It's creamy but never becomes Roquefort-y/mushroomy (although that's by no means a bad thing); rather, it's very well-behaved. And I would have loved it ... except for that BLASTED ozonic note (pun sort of intended).

The opening was oh-so promising -- warm, creamy gardenia with just a bit of something funky. At first I thought I was getting the indoles I love so much in my white florals. But no. The bit of funk instead devolved into a very sharp, metallic shriek that singed my nasal passages. I kept trying to focus on the lovely gardenia underneath it, but it appears that I'm one of the people who gets utterly bashed by the "Orage" part of the fragrance. Were it not for that, this would have been FBW for me.

Interestingly, this fragrance smells AMAZING -- no ozone, no metal, no shrieking -- on my boyfriend. Just dead sexy gardenia. So, instead, I'll be buying him at least a decant of it.

Teardrop, forfreddie, and yellow_cello, thank you for the recommendation. Even though it didn't work for me, I found another stunning floral for my sweetie.

Cacio, I have a decant of Une Voix Noire, and I love it. I'd love to try JAR Jardenia (and several other JARs). Between Uncle Serge's bell jars at Barneys and JAR at Bergdorf's, I guess I *really* need to take that trip to NYC.

Full disclosure ... after a couple of hours, it was starting to give me a headache, so I scrubbed it. I'm such a weenie. I am, however, going to enjoy it on my BF.

- - - Updated - - -

Today I've been testing Van Cleef & Arpels Lys Carmin. I *really* like this one. (Thanks, lilybelle! ) And if I hadn't fallen in love with Serge Lutens Un Lys last summer, this would have been my lily.

Lys Carmin and Un Lys share a lovely opening -- a lily in full bloom, with just a touch of green, from the instant the fragrance hits the skin. But where Un Lys deepens and intensifies (as Lutens fragrances are wont to do), Lys Carmin becomes fresher and a bit more green. And something quite interesting happens -- the pink peppercorn and whatever other unlisted spices are there (a touch of cinnamon, maybe?) cause the fragrance to open up and give the lily space to breathe. I can actually smell that happening. It's a really neat effect.

But then the lily disappears. In fact, the whole thing disappears for about 15 minutes. And then a sandalwoody-vanilla begins to open up, with just a hint of that spicy lily underneath. The spice is still more cinnamon-y than peppery on me. Sweet freak that I am, I haven't been able to stop sniffing my wrist.

At no time during my wearing of Lys Carmin did I get any kind of plasticky effect. But, if I'm honest, a side by side comparison of the drydowns of Un Lys and Lys Carmin does reveal a bit of a synthetic base in Lys Carmin -- I assume that must be the sandalwood (Iso E Super?).

I like Lys Carmin a lot, but ultimately I think having both Un Lys and Lys Carmin would be redundant. So I took the plunge and went with a bottle of Un Lys.

I do think I'm going to give Lys du Desert, Andy Tauer's fragrance for Luckyscent's Decennial, another run. That lily is very different from Un Lys, and when I wore it a couple of weeks ago, the sweet vanilla base in LdD made my eyes roll back in my head. Fan. Tastic.