B. Balenciaga

This perfume kick-started my genuine interest and curiosity in the world of olfaction. I remember the day I bought it. It was around 6 years ago and I was out by myself in a nearby city. I had some pocket money that I planned to spend on something nice. I wandered into a large chemist, that stocked a nice selection of perfumes. For whatever reason, this is the first one that drew my attention. Perhaps it was the gorgeous frosted glass bottle. I sprayed the tester and immediately adored it. I had never smelt anything like it before. I stood there for quite some time, sniffing my wrist and feeling all sorts of feelings. They were selling 2 different sizes of the perfume; I can’t remember the ml exactly, but both of them were on sale. I contemplated which one to buy, but ended up deciding on the smaller, cheaper one. I was delighted. Fast forward 5 years, I realised I had almost used it all up and without any second thought, I knew I needed a second bottle. I googled it and couldn’t see it for sale anywhere online. I quickly learnt that it had been discontinued... my heart dropped. Strangely enough, the chemist store where I bought the perfume had also disappeared. It hadn’t even been renovated into something else, it was just gone. I felt so frustrated and upset. I rarely left the house without adorning myself with the fragrance. I emailed Balenciaga this big heartfelt essay begging them to bring it back (lol) and then desperately began searching for a dupe or similar fragrance. This lead me to wanting to find out the individual notes of the perfume; something I had never done before. This also inevitably lead me to discovering this platform, Fragrantica. Up until that point, I had always just bought or been gifted perfumes based off of a ‘ooh i like that’ or ‘nope i don’t like that’ basis. I had never even wondered what makes up a perfume. I would walk into mainstream retailers and often just blind buy a scent often based solely on the packaging. Perfume to me was simply just a bottle of something you’d spray on yourself before leaving the house to smell good. Nothing more nothing less. I wrote down each note that makes up B. Balenciaga and began my mission of trying to find something as similiar to it as possible. I went into stores like Boots, Debenhams and Superdrug and presented the list to the staff members, who were rarely any help of course. They would often just mindlessly hand me a bottle of something or try to market a new release to me. Anyway, the first fragrance I smelt that made my eyes light up was Santal Blanc by Van Cleef. It is certainly similar to B, but instead of the green freshness of the pea and lily of the valley, it has a citrus freshness from the mandarin. What makes them smell alike is their addictive creaminess, and of course the hint of violet. This was enough for me, so a few months later I bought a bottle of it. I still feel remorseful for not buying the larger bottle of it in the store that day. Bottles of it now sell for up to thousands of euro now, so I doubt I will ever get my hands on it again. I still have about 1/8th of the liquid left in the bottle. It sits alone on top of my bookshelf, where it will stay as a cherished, prized possession. The fact that it was discontinued is of course extremely significant. If it was still being produced and was readily available, it wouldn’t be half as meaningful to me, obviously. When something you love is no longer in your reach, you want it so much more just because you know that you can’t have it. I am grateful for this perfume, and I am also in a way glad that it was discontinued, because I know for sure that I wouldn’t be in the position that I am now in today otherwise. All good things must come to an end and an ending always leads to a new beginning. For me, the discontinuation of this perfume opened up a whole new world for me. I now have a passion for fragrance. Since undertaking the mission of finding a dupe and finding Santal Blanc midway through 2023, I have discovered dozens of niche brands, bought several discovery sets from some of these niche designers, and have found a small, niche fragrance boutique that is very close to where I currently live. I’ve realised how much experimentation, creativity and soul and story telling can be put into the making of a scent and that a perfume can be so much more than just a pretty bottle and a nice smell. My eyes, mind, heart and soul have been opened up. There is so so so so so much to learn and discover. I can’t wait to keep learning and discovering and see where this journey takes me. B. Balenciaga will remain close to my heart forever.

Oh B. Balenciaga, you have stolen my heart. You’re not the kind of fragrance I’d usually reach for, but you’re a gem. Let me tell you all about it. I was given a 10ml rollerball sample when this perfume was released, and though it’s not one I would usually reach for, I decided to give it a try seeing as though it was free. I had nothing to lose, right? I’ve found that I can sometimes be sensitive to certain smells, so I very rarely blind buy - I need to give things a chance on my skin before committing to the purchase. As soon as I tried this, however, it instantly made its way onto the very top of my wish list. The first word that comes to mind when describing B. Balenciaga is ‘green.’ This is a clean, fresh, modern green juice with chypre notes that’s light, airy, and not overly floral, while still remaining feminine. Another word that comes to mind is ‘cold’ (if that makes sense). This isn’t an overly warm scent at all. It reminds me of the fresh dewdrops that collect on leaves on a cold winter morning. As other commenters have said, I can also detect notes of celery and edamame, which are unusual scents for a fragrance to feature, but somehow they work! The sharp opening eventually dries down into a soft, musky powder with a touch of lily. Silly me put off buying this for a while, telling myself I already had too many perfumes in my collection, and I only recently realised it’s been discontinued. I’ll never know why it was discontinued, but luck was smiling down on me the other day when I found a couple of bottles of it for an absolute steal in a pharmacy - $50 AUD for 30mls. I’ve noticed that some people are selling bottles of this online for super inflated prices, so I was thrilled to be able to grab a couple of bottles for cheap, as this juice is close to being one of my favourite fragrances of all time. And finally, for the performance! Sillage is moderate - enough to be able to catch whiffs of it throughout the day, and enough for people to notice, but definitely not overpowering by any means. Longevity is excellent; I can still smell it on my skin and clothing in the evening, after spraying it in the morning. I love this fragrance and will cherish my bottles until the very last drop.

My partner wears this... unlike me, she tends to adopt one signature and wear it faithfully but sparingly, so that the impression of its association with her presence develops very slowly (sounds nice, doesn’t it? It is) Anyway, these are my impressions... For me the ‘edamame’ accord is very unique, but is less a standout singularity than part of an overall smooth, green-hued, monochrome sheerness with hints of cool grey (iris), a flit of damp white flowers, and tender amber that gains a tinge of pink on skin as opposed to paper. There is little sweetness for the sake of being ingratiating and absolutely no solicitous powder nor animal undertow. A sleek, piquant muskiness redolent of tomato leaves reminds me of scents I’ve known that use violet leaves but also lily of the valley (I sometimes wear vintage Fahrenheit, which certainly has some of these features; our son owns Narciso Rodriguez’s grisaille fougere, and there is a hint of a similar ozone/violet leaf/musk melancholy.) It is all a bit of the feeling of sunlight about to break through clouds, poignant and forthcoming, a morning-light scent, fresh and transitional. In my imagination it’s become kind of a 21st-century grown up wood nymph, with a bit of the sense of a tart remark conspicuously withheld so as to warm up to brisk but comforting affection in the negative spaces of day to day conversation. I appreciate how little it reminds me of ‘perfume’ (not that that doesn’t have its place) and how lightly it wears her from one day to the next. Sharp but delicate, discreet but memorable, it's a linear signature that is first interesting but consistent & last consistent but interesting. I can't imagine it on anyone else, so I guess this is not really an objective review, unless that bigger issue (style and the person, and how they get mixed up together) matters to you. Anyway, lovely on her.

I come here frequently to see if any has found a new dupe of this & to reminisce about this lovely tragically discontinued fragrance, my all time favorite scent ever. I’ve found a few fragrances that have that cedary powdery woodsy green mossy fresh rain thing that I’m chasing going on but they’re just not quite right. They’re usually a little off, have some note that I don’t care for, a little too strong, or too masculine on me (like Le Labo Santall 33, Glossier You, Billie Eilish Your turn). This was a softer feminine version of that fresh woodsy green I like. I keep hoping Balenciaga will revive her. Had I known it would be discontinued I would’ve ordered more than just two roller balls back in the day, I only have a teeny tiny bit left of one roller ball. Come on Balenciaga, give us our green lady back 😭 Edit: back again to say I bough a bottle of Katy Perry Indi because it’s reported to smell like this, & it’s alright. Not B, but I see the similarities. It is discontinued, but for now there are plenty of bottles available for very cheap on resale sites. I’ve been looking to buy some of the other fragrances listed above that are reported to smell like this but I’m finding that a lot of them are also discontinued 😭. The ones I’ve tried to find so far are: Zara Accord No 3 Woody Tommy Hilfiger - The girl DSQUARED2 - she wood velvet forest wood Byredo - Byredo All of these are discontinued and hard to find. Good luck.

I bought this a couple of months ago and am wondering how come I haven't written a review about it yet! But all in all not that bad, as I've had enough time to try it several times. Balenciaga B. is very different and distinct from what you find normally in the market.It smells like pure fresh woods, mixed with some natural foody ingredients and a touch of creaminess(maybe musk?) and although it sounds strange I do smell green peas and it smells great in this composition. It reminds me somehow of She Wood, but She Wood is more floral and feminine, while this one is mostly unisex. Also reminds me of daisy series (maybe because of violet leaf), but it's much better and more original than that. I think it best fits rainy days, because of the fresh woody smell, but I won't mind wearing it at any time of the year. Sillage is very mild and I don't see it as a negative point, because sometimes strong perfumes make me sick, but this one definitely doesn't go on nerves. The bottle looks great here in the pic, but in reality, it could have been better. My main problem is the cap that is supposed to be like B alphabet, but looks like a strange piece of cubism art on the bottle! Else everything is ok in this fragrance. Not a masterpiece, but a different high quality contemporary perfume.

This fragrance has got me to be smelled and not bought blindly. I consider this fragrance to be brilliant. it is not gourmand at all . Do not be fooled by reviewers saying that it is . this fragrance is not sweet, but rather a soft white floral with an extremely interesting note that gives it a modern and unique characteristic—simply cannot be described in words but rather immersed within the senses . By far one of my favorites . Ozonics for sure . if you don't know what that really means I say again maybe purchase a sample . if it sits well with your skin I guarantee you will be wearing it throughout the seasons . The uniqueness comes through even more so in the winter months . I have worn it in the summer as well and the white florals jump at you . but this uniqueness behind the notes hit with you for hours and I love it so very much . I even bought the summer reinterpretation. That one I don't love as much but I love it enough to carry both. This is by far one of the best modern fragrances of our time . It is different yet still beautiful and 100% wearable . those people reviewing negatively on Balenciaga B obviously does not have the best taste . do not be fooled by those people this is easily the top five in my collection. Even the bottle is a modern masterpiece.

For me, this perfume is just addictively... there's an effervescence; a zingy spirit on the initial opening and it just keeps drawing my nose back. The opening notes remind me of freshly cut gerberas and pine needles, rather than cut grass. It grows into a sweet but bright cedar which blends beautifully with the opening green-ness and trails off after 5-6 hours into a peppery warmth which sits very close to the skin. The story of having the opening of needles blend to cedar then to pepper as a whole story is very attractive to me - kind of like how you could experience a whole tree, almost, from the top down. It has a somewhat linear narrative and doesn't try to surprise you but the journey following it is already so beautiful. This scent is playful and punchy without being aggressive, subtle enough for work but not boring (despite how simple the notes are). It is so versatile and always such a great mood lifter that it has been my signature for the last 4 years. I have gone through a whole bottle of the 75ml EDP already with near daily use and still find it just as addictive as before. I like this a lot for very very crisp winter mornings but it also works great in humidity and heat.

Ohhh, I love this fragrance so much. It's so interesting to see the different perspectives on this. For me, this perfume is a masterpiece. Totally unique, SEXY -- but not in the bombshell, trying-hard kind of way. Its sex appeal for me is more of a self-assured woman in her most natural states. This is the perfume that Scarlet Johanson's character from "He's just not that into you" would wear. This is how Khaleesi might have smelled when she was travelling with the Dothraki. I LOVE wearing this perfume in jeans and a t-shirt. You really can't put on too much, so I spritz it all over, and it makes me feel like a more empowered version of myself. Not pretending to be someone more. It does smell green to me, a little bit tree-ish, but in a juicy, dewy way. (I do not get pickles or pot AT ALL. Crazy how different we can perceive this). IMO, a previous reviewer nailed it when she said "It is like a meadow after rain. The sun has burst forth from the coulds and acts swiftly to warm the land, evaporating the droplets that lay heavy on the greenery and steaming away the moisture that has saturated the tree trunks and soil." Natural, steamy, lightly sweet and oh-so sexy.

Starts with a refreshing floral note, and while I know refreshing gets used a lot, this really makes me say "ahhh" when I first put it on. The cleanness of the florals helps it to transition nicely into crisp green notes, which remind me of walking through an evergreen forest on a snowy winter day. Even though pine isn't listed in the notes, that's definitely the main note I personally get from it. It's not a fake, Pine-Sol scent though; it's like fresh-cut trimmings for a Christmas wreath. That said, it's not so wintry or reminiscent of Christmas that you won't want to wear it during other times of the year - the lily and violet leaf make it appropriate for spring, and it would be cool and refreshing for a hot summer day as well. (You can kind of tell I really like it and will probably be wearing it all year myself!) Anyway, the pine then turns a bit minty, and finally the wood notes take over. The only downside is that it doesn't last as long as I'd like it to. Sillage is moderate. I'm somewhat new to the fragrance world, and I'm already overwhelmed by the overabundance of fruit/patchouli combinations, so even for me it's a nice change from the usual.

Review from an anti-freshness gourmand-lover: The first time I tried this, I thought "noooo not another fresh bar of soap" - I had sprayed it on along with a few other freshy scents (was trying to explore the other side) and walked outside into a hot dry summer day. Well...let's just say this is the best thing I've tried in years. What drew me to it is that instead of citruses creating a sense of crispness and freshness, it's the woods creating that effect. And with woods, you get a kind of creamy almost milky effect that brings balance to the cleanliness of the fragrance. Also, there's no coconut listed in the notes, but I can smell some kind of nutty tropical softness. It smells like...folded shirts in a small boutique next to a beach...in summer...maybe a Balenciaga boutique. Nice, professional, and clean, but not a citrusy screechy or squeaky clean; it's instead very soft and feminine. Soft on the nose - you don't have to smell it from a foot away; you can dig your nose into your wrist all you want and it will never hit you with any kind of sharpness. It's absolutely lovely.

Tastes differ. I can understand that some people do not like this gem, I personally love it. It is feminine, fresh, green and uplifting without being boring citrusy, fruity or floral. Something different that is so satisfying. I prefer to wear this in late spring and early summer when the weather is already quite warm but the mornings (when you head up to work and spray yourself) are still a bit cool. Then this scent is simply sparkling and cheerful without getting too sour later the day, as the temperature is getting higher and you'll need it to stay fresh. Since Covid I'd been working from home and did not have so many occasions to wear it (also continued to widen my perfume wardrobe parallel) so now I am happy to have a 50 ml bottle still ca. 85-90% full when I had to learn it is dicontinued. It's a shame, I cannot remember something identical would ever came accross even though I have owned and tested quite a few hundreds of scents so far... Probably the closest dupe was She Wood Velvet Forest Wood from Dsquared, which is also discontinued.

I love love love love this. Anythzing with cedar is a go in my book! It's such a unique scent. It's got a bit of of this and that, a little woodiness, a little floral sweetness, a little green freshness, oh my it's wonderful & intoxicating. Cedar cedar cedar. If you don't like cedar then you may not like it. I am pretty sensitive to cedar, I can pick it up very easily and to me that's what I smell most here. I'm addicted to cedar like crack. But I think that's just my nose. I was at work (I'm a nurse) and when I got up to the unit I smelled this intoxicating smell immediately. I stopped everything to track it down. Another nurse was wearing it and I just had to have it. No one else seemed to pick up on it from so far away like me, they had to get her to raise her wrist to let them smell. I was like oh man, I smelled you from down the hall! Cedar!! I'm telling ya, I'm sensitive to it.

If I were to choose a Disney princess that represents this fragrance it'd be Snow White. B is green, slightly sweet, fragile, innocent, and well-disciplined. It is a soft scent that stays close to skin and has rather poor longevity (i.e. it doesn't annoy people). It is feminine and presents a kind, friendly, approachable image. But, if you're looking for a fragrance sweet like Ariel, earthy like Pocahontas, magical like Cinderella, mysterious like Jasmine... this bottle won't do. Asking whether it is a memorable scent is like asking whether Snow White is a memorable character -- to me it isn't, but it might be for someone else. Since it's a very relaxing scent I like to keep the rollerball on my nightstand and put some on before I go to bed. Usually by the next morning I don't smell B anymore. No violet leaf, no orris, no wood. At least I've had a good night sleep.

My wife wears this, so obviously I am a bit biased. She is all about the signature... I think this is a great choice in that regard, as it is both distinctive and (once the initial sour/fresh burst of green topnotes dies down) discreet. The other day I was killing time at Sephora by smelling many of fragrances marketed to women, and it was impressed upon me again how different this is from most of the market cliches (fruit-choulis, floral musks, etc.). Some critics I read don't enjoy it so much for its linearity and lack of classical structure; but, despite being a fan of both dynamism and classicism, I really like this one. It makes a very individual impression, but is well balanced so that each phase in its development gives pleasure to the wearer and others. Sillage, from an onlooker's perspective, is perfect.

This perfume *is* Balenciaga. Not a typical feminine floral, it's a little sweet, but mostly serious. It smells green and cool and haute. I thought it smelled even a little metallic, shiny, polished. It smells competent. EDIT: Desperate for a replacement, I bought a sample of Heretic Nosferatu as recommended above and it is NOT a good replacement at all. Nosferatu smells like dust, rubber, and metal and STINKS like a hot car -- the smell that gives you motion sickness. It smells nothing like Balenciaga B but it does succeed at smelling like an undead rotting corpse. Balenciaga B smells at first tart and green and then settles down to a light fresh cool greenness like a freshly picked sugar snap pea. It is a bit more sour than I remember but they are for certain nothing alike.

I have to politely disagree with all those that say this fragrance smells green which in my mind has a sharp quality; think freshly mown lawn. This is a soft fragrance. On my skin, I definitely get the pea which I liken to sugar snap peas as opposed to edamame as cited in the description. I also get powdery, soapy florals which are thankfully soft and balanced well by subtle woody undertones. This is not a fragrance that demands attention, yet a fragrance that is worn by someone who is already sure in their femininity and power. Once their object is secured then this fragrance is discovered as it wears close to the skin. As this fragrance has a soapy quality, the fragrance will probably be attributed to shampoo or detergent or something other than outright perfume.

I decided to buy a full bottle of this based on a sample. I really quite like it. It is different from my favorite florals but it has a green, fresh and clean thing going that is so refreshing after all the very sweet scents that have been popular lately. This is the opposite of a deep, dark and sexy scent - those have their place, but they're a bit much for every day. This scent can be worn any day, any time, for a nice energizing spritz that will make you feel a little more awake and alive as you make your way through your busy life. Edited to add: the bottle is lovely. It's a textured glass meant to mimic the marble floors in the Balenciaga flagship store. It doesn't look anything like the other bottles in my collection and looks gorgeous on my dresser.

I only discovered this fragrance very recently when I came across a sample vial hidden at the back of my perfume cabinet whilst doing a clear out. I had purchased it from an airport bathroom vending machine many moons ago and subsequently forgot all about it. This scent just stole my heart from first sniff, it smells nothing like any of the other perfumes I tend to gravitate towards, yet I love it so much, it's so fresh and calming and felt instantly familiar in some way I can't even explain. I was disappointed to learn that this 2ml vial was all I could enjoy of this scent, as it had been discontinued - until browsing a local chemist yesterday I found them clearing this out, $80AUD for 50mls, my lucky day! I wonder if I should have bought more...

How very Balenciaga! Oh, I am a fan of Balenciaga - let it be known! Yet again, "B" has managed to skillfully combine greens and florals and a vague puff of powder to create such a unique, almost curated scent. (Honestly - who puts PEAS in their high-end fragrances?!) Feminine - yes, but not frilly, nor seductive, nor "motherly". Feminine with a slight creative flair. Unique, but not outrageous. It remains sweet and totally likable, while at the same time hinting at everlasting youthfulness and an adoration for nature. Longevity is good, at 8 hours, even though I have quite dry skin. Silage is soft, yet perfect for the scent. Not my absolute favourite Balenciaga, but one I absolutely admire and one that makes me happy to be in my own skin.

I have never thought I would be ever interested in Balenciaga fragrances until I have come across a comparison between Byredo Byredo and Balenciaga B. And yes, they do bear a lot of similarities! To someone they may smell lile 2 completely oppisite scents and their notes do differ but for some reason I get that same fresh woodsy undertone created by cedar in Balenciaga and oakmoss in Byredo. They both do have violet leaves in the composition which adds to green freshly feeling. I would say that Byredo is a little bit deeper but to my liking Balenciaga stays on for hours which Byredo lacks. Right now this one is one of my most complimented fragrances, I can say it is totally unisex, pleasant to anyone who smells it on you!