Mediterranean Honeysuckle

WHIPPED ORANGE & Honeysuckle combine to evoke an almost gourmand Fuzzy Orange (whipped orange drink of a frothy orange smoothie with pulp and not too sweet). Opens with a burst of softly sparkling mandarin, with nods to Happy Clinique, that deepens into a honeysuckle & white floral heart with a whipped quality and nods to Honey Marc Jacobs, resting on a vanilla woods base with nods to Island Hawaii Michael Kors. I'm enjoying the versatility here, as there's both an everyday vibe and a vacation vibe; fun but sophisticated, with an orange that would transition well into fall. I was pleasantly surprised with the performance, which is slightly above average and projects better than expected. Contrast to Happy Clinique: These are different, especially the drydowns, but the openings are very similar with soft orange. MH dries down with more of a whipped vanilla quality. Performance is roughly equivalent. Contrast to Honey Marc Jacobs: These are different, but there are some similarities with forward honeysuckle. MH has a more forward orange. Performance is about equivalent for these two. Contrast to Island Hawaii Michael Kors: These are different, but there are some similarities with forward orange/orange water. IH has a more forward neroli lending a clean laundry facet that I don't smell in MH. They have roughly equivalent performance, or slighty stronger for MH. Contrast to Tory Burch Tory Burch: These are different, but the openings are similar with forward orange. TB dries down more like a tea-like, and aligned with scents like Chloe EDP Chloe. Contrast to Aqua Allegoria Passiflora Guerlain: These are different, but there is an overall similar vibe. MH has a whipped quality, while Passiflora has a forward luscious passionfruit. Performance is about equivalent for these two. Overall: Absolutely beautiful & versatile scent profile with the best aspects of many of my favourites, and above average performance with a soft scent profile. Although this is likely to be worn in spring/summer, this is the perfect scent to wear for versatility and happy vibe anytime. I just have a sample, but this is going on my wish-list. It's a love for me. Enjoy!

Do you ever think about your early experiences learning what perfumes were just "you"? I mean that after you sprayed it, you felt like this beauty was created just for you? For me, in the mid-70s when I was in junior high, that potion was the original Love's Fresh Lemon. The last couple years, I've been on a sentimental journey to buy a vintage LFL or set including LFL to recreate that pure joy I felt when I discovered the original LFL. I dove into eBay to find just that; and found SEALED original sets and bottles of the original LFL. Alas, time is often unkind to citrus top notes, it has certainly been unkind to the vintage LFL that I purchased on eBay. So why is this fumehead talking about Love's Fresh Lemon when discussing Aerin's Mediterranean Honeysuckle? This Aerin creation is as close to the original LFL as I've whiffed in the last 40 (or more) years. It puzzles me. Truly. But there is no way that I'll criticize Aerin for this beautiful composition. My memory of the original LFL was a bright, effervescent citrus that snapped and refreshed in the hottest dog-days of summer. Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle has that same pop that was the original LFL. Mediterranean Honeysuckle is that summer breeze through the lemon orchard that is calling you insistently. I wonder if someone at Lauder has kept a vtg bottle of LFL in the fridge for 45 years? Certainly they won't tell us, but someone knows vtg LFL and clearly loves it as much as I do, to create this beautiful homage. From now on, I will never be without Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle for as long as my credit card allows. 10/10

I just finished reviewing the version with mimosa and realized that I never reviewed the original, although it has been a favorite for years. The mimosa version's drydown was identical on my skin, so this review will have some retread. Mediterranean Honeysuckle has been one of my favorite scents since it came out, and frequently receives compliments. When I first apply it, it's all honeysuckle and grapefruit. Not a sweet honeysuckle and definitely not cloying at all - it's the air surrounding the honeysuckle, with a tinge of green. The grapefruit is juicy and watery, but with the tart dryness of its rind. On settling down, this is a "clear", watery floral - slightly citrusy and has always struck me as a classy and confident, but laid-back fragrance. It does bring to mind Aegean blue, lemon yellow (but not lemons - the grapefruit is definitely the source of the citrusy and "watery" notes), and crisp white, as well as wearing clean linen pants by the sea on a breezy and warm (but not hot) day. It has surprising sillage and lasting power for its fragrance category. I'm always able to smell it on my clothes at the end of the day or even the next morning. Yet, it is light enough to be an office scent. This fragrance is versatile and can go anywhere, at any time, and any occasion. Its strengths will show through most in warm weather, though.

I missed the train with Anick Goutal's Chevrefeuille. It is now discontinued and I repent not buying it when I had the chance. Well, this is stunning. Aerin has an amazing talent for making florals, and I fell in love with her way of making perfume after buying Tuberose Gardenia. Mediterranean Honeysuckle opens with pomelo, and it is quite similar to Jour D'Hermes in the pure parfum version. The actual flowers of honeysuckle come after a few minutes, the pomelo subsides but never disappears. As the honeysuckle grows in intensity , the juiciness is replaced by a full bloom of white flowers. It is beautiful, pure, virginal . Honeysuckle is such a classy note , that hasn't been overly used like Jasmine or Rose. Still, I wish it would stay as pure honeysuckle and not get any other white flower notes mixed in. The perfume lacks sensuality. It's simply beautiful and natural smelling without much sofistication. The bottle and the entire presentation is beautiful too, but I was disappointed that the "stone " on the lid is not a real stone. Good imitation though. The silage is soft, the lasting power average. The price ? I think it's overpriced... at $175+tax it should have been much more concentrated. Still, I was always attracted to these natural smelling scents so it's love for me. Next on my list to try is the Lilac Path.

Fresh, Medeterranean Honeysuckle is FRESH, all capitals. You cannot escape the fresh, zesty, "blue" freshness of this one! I always knew of Aerin Lauders fragrance line but never got the chance to ever test them, since they never were offered by my local Estee Lauder counter. One day I popped into John Lewis and saw this gorgeous sky blue topped bottle sat on the counter, one spray and I fell in LOVE with it and that Christmas, Mr Gin got me a 50ml bottle! The cap is evocative of how this scent makes me feel, it reminds me of a hot, sunny day where the skies are blue and you feel invigorated and carefree. Grapefruit and a very photorealistic honeysuckle note burst out upon first spritz; this always adds a spring to my step and makes me smile, with gardenia, lily of the valley and jasmine popping out in the background to help add some more layers to the spritely citrus and polleny honeysuckle, The longevity is excellent on my skin with it lasting a good 7 hours from 3 sprays, it has a moderate silage that garners compliments but without being suffocating or heady. I absolutely LOVE this, the bottle is also sublime and I cannot wait to add another Aerin to my collection, future repurchase!