James

I just received this, so I need to sit with it a while, but I think it’s my new signature for fall, which keeps changing by the day haha. I couldn’t decide between rose or white floral as my signature for fall / winter for date nights & every day. So I have a little of both in my rotation. My fragrance mood shifted a bit recently. I’m now looking for something that just makes me feel clean, pretty, feminine, like a skin scent that is just “me” but better, but then I realized I wanted less of a skin scent but more of a: how my hair smells after washing / styling, how I smell after being put together, that vibe. Like I want to smell like: beautiful French hair. Hair I don’t even have, long swishing hair over a trench coat. That’s how I imagine a pretty French girl smells. Hah ... This evokes all of that somehow, like it’s floral enough but not cloying or too sweet, hint of lactonic coconut really comes through on me, must be the fig note ... woody, natural shampoo like without being shampoo-y ... clean without being sterile or soapy, something sexy underneath it with the amber. It reminds me of Aveda products / hair products in a good way. So here we have what I was wanting. Voila! Very natural, organic, clean girl smelling. I didn’t know I wanted that sort of thing exactly, but I like it. & I was worried about the gardenia. I had tried another gardenia fragrance oil based on Kai which was crazy strong & smelled like pure gardenia soap, (never smelled the original Kai.) so I have to use that just for a bubble bath when I’m in the mood. Gardenia can be absolutely nauseating, soapy & I hate to use the phrase, but old lady like. This gardenia note doesn’t overpower it. It just makes it enough “floral” to be feminine and pretty to me. So I would say it’s a very refined blend for not being a major expensive house ... More of the “gamine” fragrance of the line. She is shy & mysterious & reads books in the park. But she likes bubble baths. Only shy until she gets to know someone new. I think I like her / him the best. That’s me. I hope a date will like it on me soon if I decide to choose this for a man. I’m glad to have it in my fall line up, blind bought travel size on whim bc received compliment on Rosie. I like this better now personally.

I have a sample size of this, and I tested it out yesterday. Immediately after spraying, even from a short distance (~2 feet), I can detect a light scent. Low to moderate silage seems to be pretty common for Rosie Jane, so I am quite satisfied with that. I don't have experience with many gardenia fragrances, but I can detect those tones, and combined with the light (very light, a bit happy about that since I don't love heavy ones) fig scent, it blends together to smell like fresh homemade lemonade without much sugar and with the pulp still in it. I almost feel like I can smell a very mild orange undertone, but I think that might be the amber mixing with the other accords I wore it on my skin (1-2 sprays per wrist, 1 spray behind each ear) for the entire day, and it faded slowly, but I could still detect it on my skin by the evening if I tried. The scent does have fantastic longevity in fabric and hair though, so if you want to have it last longer, then I would spray it on your clothes. In general, as I wore it for longer, the lemonade scent I described remained throughout, but the amber and woody musk grew more noticeable. I absolutely loved this fragrance though, and will definitely get a full bottle! Fantastic for Spring and Summer when you’re outside most of the day.

Green & creamy, ethereal & sensual, there is a duality to this fragrance that makes it surprisingly enigmatic & delightfully evasive — as a whole, the scent evokes that wonderful phenomenon following a rainstorm when foliage seems more verdant & all the world seems freshened, dew-laden. The gardenia is lush & bright, velveteen petals rain-wet & plush — this floral heart is complemented & complicated by a carnally lactonic fig; sensuous, plump, & dewy. This marriage between the sweet ingénue gardenia & the lusty hedonist fig makes this fragrance sexy to me in a way that is anything but obvious & deeply memorable — I have woken to the celadon ghost of this perfume in a sweet miasmic fug between my sheets & felt a deep romance for my own life. For those who say it doesn’t last well for them: I love to wear both the oil & the perfume, the perfume lasting better on clothes & the oil on skin. Additionally, I have been stopped & asked what I was wearing long past when I could smell the perfume myself, so keep that in mind. Truly special & delightfully indescribable, James is comforting & surprising, nostalgic & evolving, sensuous & intuitive — a fruit filled with rain, a flower blooming beyond any human eye.

I did not expect to love this scent as much as I did. I was hesitant of the fig because I have never had a fig scent before but now I see the light! At least for this cologne I do. It starts off super green and sharp, almost overwhelmingly so. Like spring in a fresh cut garden. Then the gardenia takes over for a very rich floral (but not TOO much, gardenia can be overwhelming sometimes), but the fig really rounds it out with soft, milky, nutty sweetness. Its a beautiful scent overall and I find that I get compliments every. Single. time. that I wear this. I wish it lasted longer, but its just such a good unique scent that its worth it to reapply. I ended up getting the body oil and body wash in the same scent (which were very reasonably priced IMO) and the fragrance lasts longer when I use those. It's also a really good scent to layer with. The milky nutty richness of the fig goes very well with amber oil to boost the amber base or even with a milky almond scent to work with the fig. TDLR: Starts off a really sharp green but ends a beautiful scent. Milky, slightly sweet, nutty, floral, and warmth from the amber. Super nice, just wish it lasts longer.

reviewed this a couple months ago when i was just starting to get into fragrance and write reviews, so let's redo it. i still love this scent. i'm a sucker for fig, and this one is so green and milky and cozy.... the gardenia adds something interesting in there that's hard to place. a note that almost reminds me of like.... grape juice? but not really sweet or tart.... like i said it's hard to place. i've started layering this with a really figgy oil (tree of knowledge from champagne socialist, it's supposed to be a philosykos dupe) and it helps with the otherwise pretty bad longevity. man i wish i could smell this longer! it's probably the closest thing i have to a signature scent. it's wearable in all seasons: not too fresh for winter, not too cozy for summer. i always come back to it. it's just instantly comforting.

I was very happy when I found this fragrance because it reminds me of Fig and Lotus Flower from Jo Malone but this lasts WAY longer (at least based on the perfume oil version I own). This scent is more green and fresh than the notes would have you believe which gives it good unisex potential, but the beautiful gardenia and fig shine through to give it a sophisticated sweetness. I wear this in the spring and summer and have gotten multiple compliments. Other reviews have said this doesn't last, but I wear the perfume oil and find that it lasts all day. So if this perfume sounds right up your alley and longevity is something you want, just get the perfume oil. You won't regret it.

This is the fig scent I've been looking for. Philosykos is too green, and Tocca's Lucia is lovely but the fig is ultimately washed out by the marine/lemon wood notes. This to me is an inextricable, perfectly 50/50 blend of juicy green fig and creamy, slightly heady gardenia. James is described on the brand's site as "fresh yet earthy" and "inspired by the last days of summer, when everything smells a little greener, a little warmer, a little more alive," which I think hit the nail on the head.

I think James is so beautiful!! The first thing I smell is gardenia, like the real flower. After awhile the fig is more apparent. The longer it's worn, the sweeter it gets. Cozy, comfy. So simple, yet so gorgeous. To me this is a perfect Fall scent. Love it! I also sampled Noteworthy 415 and it is similar due to the fig, but it has freesia instead of gardenia. James wins 100%. If you love gardenia and fig, chances are very good you will love this!

This was my go-to fragrance for about a decade – I find the smell to be a perfect mix of feminine and adult but a little playful. The price is affordable and it has a nice longevity. The only downside is it doesn't last more than a few years (which, I mean, its not technically meant to but I'd go as far as to say it gets a little sour after 3 years or so), but if youre using it as a casual perfume its perfect. Simple and lovely.

Really love this but have found that some people find it a little overly sharp/green in a way that almost smells like a light insect repellant. To me it smells of a juicy green fig, very fresh and green. I actually don't get a huge amount of a magnolia coming through. It's an intimate scent - works really nice for layering. Have layered it with muskier/more floral scents beautifully.

Another Rosie Jane love for me. So gorgeous and natural smelling. Vaguely reminiscent of Angie, but dare I say I love this even more? Angie is a bit more "beachy" smelling while this is appropriate year round. The sample spray lasted around 10 hours on me with noticeable sillage. Will most likely buy a full bottle or at least the oil.

gardenia sweetness very prominent at top. almost a coconut note hides in there. the fig note in here is more of a green fig scent- very green and vegetal. somewhere in there is a bit of a laconic note...if i had to guess its from the green milky sap of cut branches married with the roundness of coconut.

Gardenia is green and plush, and the fig is milky and buttery. almost coconutty. I'm going to have to get the oil, because after 3 hours it's completely disappeared. Update: After sitting for a while this becomes so incredibly long lasting and the projection is wild.

A beautiful balance of green and creamy. I don't get too much fig on my skin, it is a gardenia/white floral bomb. I have the oil and get a solid 12 hours out of it. Compared to Philosykos, I'd say it's more warm and not as sharp. I lush feminine delight. 9/10

Really love this! Gardenia is one of my favorite scents. This is a soft, mostly gardenia scent with a hint of fig. I can see this being a fantastic signature scent. And special points for being "natural." A safe blind buy if you like gardenia.

This is a Floral Green fragrance. There is definetely some Triplal in the pyramid, I'm pretty sure: that's why I love it so much! A (not so) very simple and lovely fragrance! I had it in 2017 and then never found in Europe anymore :(

Creamy white florals, figs , I love this it's easy to wear and perfect for rainy days in spring and even summer. I blind bought it because this guy I like, his name is James, I like to imagine it's what his bathroom smells like

i love james! soft and cozy but not too feminine. the gardenia is definitely dominant, but it does have a bit of grassiness that balances it nicely. i wish it lasted longer on my skin.

James by Rosie Jane has been my day-to-day fragrance over the last couple of months. It's very much a spring-summer scent, a milky gardenia with a skin-like, salty finish.

I can detect all notes listed here. I'm surprised it's so strong and sweet but doesn't make me sick to my stomach like most would.

This is a nice, soft scent, but it's labeled as a "standing on the porch during an autumn rainstorm" scent, and...it's not that. It's actually quite a sweet scent, with the gardenia note being the most prominent, but it smells too sunshine warm and creamy to me to picture an autumn rainstorm (at least where I live, in the northeast US). Instead, this scent is perfect for spring and summer. It's light, it's sweet, and it's actually quite green as well. There is a scent reminiscent of wet grass/greenery that lingers in the background, but overall, this is more floral than anything. I do have to say that the initial spray of this is kind of weird, like you're smelling rain that's completely synthetic, but the dry down becomes a lot nicer. Personally, I do think it edges just on the border of being too sharply sweet, but it doesn't burn the nose. It's also a fairly casual, day to day scent, I think. This is definitely a skin scent with almost no sillage, but it lasts for a while, on me at least! At the three hour mark, I'm still getting whiffs of the fragrance. Like another commenter said, the formula is quite oily, but it dries down quickly.

Genuine green fig boosted by a touch of coconut. The gardenia (in reality, hyacinth oil) is equally present, a lovely contrast. Warm, inviting, earthy. A nutty green grass sweetness tempered with cedar, a little lavender and clove for spice. Vibrant mandarin oil creates tart nuances. A bit fresh, and familiar animalic touches make this a comforting experience. The description of watching a rainstorm while wrapped in cashmere is apt. I've sampled this a number of times and every time, it's the same experience. I quite enjoy it at first spritz, especially with all the freshness of the grassy notes and the mandarin oil. It's more dynamic at the top and toward the heart. The fig note is beautiful. But as this dries, it becomes sweeter and on my skin, it's not a love. The florals overwhelm and almost annoy me. But I wish I loved this. It's a beautiful composition, and definitely signature worthy.

I really like the gardenia note that by rosie jane uses. The gardenia in here is so pure, not too green or too crisp, but just incredibly pure and wholesome. I can't explain it. It sings off your skin. The fig and gardenia play so beautifully, I cannot tell them apart. The moment I think I'm smelling fig, I then think, no, that's just a facet of the gardenia. A fleshy, sweet facet. But when I smell the gardenia note, I can feel the fig, it's more a feeling than a smelling - it's presence is unmistakeable, but you can't put your finger on it. It's like it's own unique cross-species blend. The most magical gardenia enhanced by fig that is part of its own essence. The amber comes out more as it dries down, and unfortunately kind of makes the fragrance settle too quietly on my skin. It's detectable, but much more of a skin scent. The opening is stunning, though.

This is a green floral scent that remains fresh throughout the duration of wear without ever being cloying. The gardenia note is dewy and green, and I can occasionally get hints of lemon. This fragrance has quickly become a summer favorite due to its ability to remain fresh and subtly sweet. The fig becomes slightly more obvious in the mid and dry down stages... although I had to admit it doesn't have the lactonic quality of other fig based perfumes. Clearly, the fig is not the star player here. The amber note is clean and inoffensive. This fragrance is definitely feminine. I envision this on a woman in light wash jeans, a simple white t-shirt and natural makeup. It is minimal, clean, and sweet.

such a wonderful fresh, green scent. i’m not super familiar with many notes, but if this is a photorealistic fig fragrance i think it’s such a beautiful rendition. this perfume has a very creamy, sweet gardenia, it’s a perfect combination of fleshy, pulpy petals and the sharp, green smell of dewy cut grass. i could also smell a fresh coconut cream/coconut water at times, which i enjoyed! over time this definitely faded into a sweet ambery smell while still retaining the “punchiness” of greenery and fig. it didn’t last very long on my skin (~3 hrs) but it lasted all day on my shirt! overall very lovely.

Growing up in the aughts, I knew a ton of people who wore Marc Jacobs Essence - in fact, it was the rival perfume to Michael Kors back in the day. OK, enough about dating myself. But since Marc Jacobs has not chosen to bring back its original perfume, I would dare to say this reminds me lots of the original. It's a gardenia perfume for sure. But I've smelled Kai and Kai is too tropical. This is office, polite gardenia. The notes say it's green from the fig and I agree, and it's also lactonic which I also agree. It doesn't waft but I've loved smelling my wrist.

Beautiful fig with gardenia. Projects like crazy. Also SUPER sweet. I can only handle a tiny puff, otherwise it makes me uncomfortable and I feel like gagging. Maybe this one could have used a citrus to balance it a bit. This is definitely something fig fans should smell at least once, but if you're expecting something woody or green, you may want to look elsewhere, Premier Figuier or Fico di Amalfi. It's so sweet it almost reminds me of honeysuckle.

Linear but beautiful Perfectly blended unripened fig + gardenia, so much so that you can tell that you're getting both and yet can't quite pull them apart. Very fresh, like smelling living gardenia still on the tree. Sometimes fig can be too tangy or strong but not here. Sadly I was hoping for a bit more depth. This scent is very linear, nothing else to it but a single fig-floral note. It is also very much a skin scent 2 minutes after spraying.

unfortunately i don't find white florals very exciting, and this one doesn't change that. initial spray is fairly green, but the dry down is overwhelmingly gardenia. the amber does give it a nice creaminess which i think is where others are smelling "coconut". i don't think i'd buy a full bottle, but it is very pretty ! also, not sure if this is related or not, but shortly after spraying this on, i went into an awful sneezing fit.

This perfume makes me feel like I’m in a fresh tropical garden but absolutely not in a sunscreen way. More in a lush, wet, earthy and floral way with juicy fig. The tester was wonderful. The travel size has a slightly more indolic scent which has put me off from reaching for it as much as I did my tester size. I’m wondering what the difference is. Other than that it’s a love for me!

Right, let’s be honest: this is gardenia doing a full solo concert. It starts off fresh and bright, moves into soft, fluttery petals, and ends in this creamy, almost cuddle-ready gardenia vibe. The fig and amber try to sneak in and add a bit of creaminess, but nope, gardenia said I’m the star, and never lets go. Not terrible, not groundbreaking... just unapologetically gardenia.

So pretty! It smells like a wedding. Creamy gardenia with fig. It would shine during springtime but is appropriate any time of year. I don't typically enjoy white florals but this is my favorite that I've tried. I was surprised I liked this one so much. If you like laconic or fig fragrances give this a try! This does NOT smell like Philosokos!!!

Very earthy green on first spray but after a minute it dries down to a lovely warm green scent. I didn't get sweet or fruity from the fig, on my skin it just translated to warmth. So it makes a good winter scent. By rosie jane scents don't seem to last long on my skin (max 2 or 3 hours) but this one lasted pretty much all day.

Oil fragrance sample. This is beautiful and there's no denying the similarity to my beloved Philosykos. However, I'll say that James has more of a floral touch. Is it worth adding to my collection? Probably not. Still a fantastic option for a cheaper alternative to a scent along the same lines as Philosykos! 🙂

Simplicity is good sometimes. This is a beautiful scent that offers so much versatility. Comfy figs, fresh gardenia, and a hint of sweet milk work so well together. And get the oil guys, it lasts longer and you can layer with much better result.

Yummy, but a little too floral-heavy on my skin. Can’t decide if I hate that or love it. If you’re expecting a very heavy fig scent, you might be a little disappointed. On me, it smells mostly like gardenia.

opens with a combo of a warm rainy day (in a good, refreshing way) and pretty strong fig which i loved, but then fades pretty quickly into just gardenia. pretty and a great simple white floral.

Rich, figgy, green and delicious! The gardenia pairs very well with the fig, and it has a lovely depth to it. Reminds me of New York and the feeling that a good trumpet solo gives you.

this was interesting. I wish I could pick out the fig a little more clearly but it definitely added something unique to the white florals. kind of smelled like rain!

I will die on this hill there is coconut in this. It’s LOVELY. Such a beautiful soft but white floral forward summer scent.

Fresh gardenia is all I smell in the dry down, and while very pretty, it’s more of a heavy floral than I prefer.

Delicious gardenia. Very simple

Fresh, green, earthy, warm, subtly sweet, and even a touch of spice. There’s definitely an outdoorsy feel with this one. A feeling of living and growing things. A freshly blossomed flower, dew drops on figs, damp grass and earth. It’s even somewhat cozy and comforting feeling. It’s a lovely and rather unique fragrance. This reminds me a little bit of Replica Autumn Vibes, but this would be the springtime version. I’m also reminded slightly of Replica When The Rain Stops, but less aquatic, warmer, and with more of a deep earthy and slightly spicy scent. James is also more fruity and floral than both of the Replica ones. I get really good performance with James. The longevity is great, it lasts the entire day on me. The projection is nice too, it radiates out about an arm’s length from me.

when you see those clips in shows of people getting painted while holding grapes, or whatever, this is what i imagine it smells like. fresh, a little fruity, floral, mellow. more feminine-leaning, but i don’t think a man couldn’t wear it. mature, but not extremely. i don’t really think this smell is particularly unique. it doesn’t smell too different from my dupe of La Vie Est Belle from Dossier. the difference being ... the dupe has sillage & lasts at least 5hrs. same as other by/rosie jane scents, not very long-lasting (lasted like an hour and a half for me lol), and sillage non-existent, mostly.

Very nice, but there’s just a little too much gardenia in here for me. Maybe if it were jasmine or another flower I’d like it better because I really am not a gardenia fan. That being said, this is still very nice. The fig in here is juicy and sweet and a little green. Feels very lush and like you’re in a beautiful garden with a fresh fruit in your hand. There’s a bit of a zing to this fragrance - it almost feels refreshingly minty but it’s not mint. Quite creamy as well. This is very nice for spring and summer, especially if you enjoy white florals.

How bizarre is it that this smells exactly like Chloe Nomade Naturelle on my skin? I was racking my brain trying to pinpoint what it reminded me of. FIrst I went over all the figgy scents that I know and have tried but nothing clicked. Then I thought of Versace Crystal Noir, and yes there is a slight resemblance because of the gardenia but that was not it either. Then it struck me. The two scents have no notes in common but on my skin they are like 90% alike. On my skin they both smell like a well-aged, smokey whiskey straight from the wooden cask.

finished up my travel size. feel like i didn’t get a ton of fig from this - i wouldn’t compare it to any of the classic fig scents i’ve tried. it would go a bit funky on my skin sometimes - my guess is that it was probably the animalic accord? i don’t know enough to say if that was because of the amber or gardenia, but this fragrance has a very ~amber~ cozy fall vibe to me. as my travel spray aged i found it started to agree with my skin and i liked it more but not enough to repurchase.

I don't get any gardenia at all and thats why I bought it, for the gardenia. What I smell is tangy fig. I don't dislike it, but it's really not what I wanted it to be. Not a safe blind buy if you're looking for a gardenia floral scent. I don't understand the fruit scent in the pyramid, the fig isn't fruity at all, it's too tangy and tart to be fruity. Im going to let my bottle macerate for a while and see if the gardenia comes forward after some time, fingers crossed.

I definitely like the dry down of this perfume more than its initial smell, but on me, the initial smell lasts longer than I would like. It's a bit too floral for my taste, but I could definitely see it being someone's everyday scent who likes florals, as it isn't an overwhelming scent. it's more of an intimate fragrance for sure. i got this as a sample, and personally would definitely not purchase the trial or full size, but would perhaps reach for it again.

A fresh floral with a name that doesn't really fit it. It's more interesting before it dries down - the fig and amber are at play at the beginning, but then it turns into a single note gardenia. Simple, but clean. I think there are florals out there that interest me more than this one, but it's not overpowering like some florals can be.