Farnesiana

An elegant heliotrope-y fragrance. It supposedly doesn’t contain heliotrope based on Fragrantica's note pyramid but it could be the mimosa contributing an almond accord. I strongly believe heliotropin is present, however. The opening is comprised of a strong bitter almond, with a floral nuance. As the scent approaches the drydown, it becomes sweeter and sweeter with vanilla, and transforms into a borderline full-blown gourmand. Although I am not crazy about the opening, I love that the scent goes through distinct stages (something I always admire and look for in a perfume.) Farnesiana has this vintage feel to me, as opposed to classic or timeless (such as Shalimar or L’Heure Bleue). Yet it still isn’t a dated fragrance. I'm honestly surprised that such a gourmand smelling fragrance came from the 1940s. The opening for some reason reminds me of vintage Le Dix. They were both released in 1947 and are soft, powdery floral scents. Le Dix is way more aldehydic in comparison, and Farnesiana has vanilla/heliotrope at the forefront. I find many gourmand heliotrope/almond scents to be quite similar, such as L.T. Piver Heliotrope Blanc, Mazzolari Alessandro, Etro Heliotrope, Reminiscence Heliotrope, Profumum Confetto, Profumum Dolce Acqua, and Calypso St. Barth Lea. But Farnesiana's glamorous vintage feel separates it from the rest. The parfum stays close to the skin but has moderate longevity. The EDP is identical scent-wise, but has better sillage, though still on the softer side. After buying a full bottle of the EDP, Farnesiana is quickly climbing up my absolute favorites list.

In my search for a perfect mimosa scent I came across this gem of a perfume. I have tried it first in the pure parfum version and I was instantly captured by its beauty. The mimosa scent in the pure parfum concentration is purely divine. It is sweet, creamy and very close to the heady mimosa flowers I used to buy in early spring. After my experience with the pure parfum, I had a wonderful opportunity to track down the vintage EDP concentration. And though the versions are slightly different, both of them develop into a gorgeous bouquet of mimosa. The difference between two is in the opening. The pure parfum has much stronger and almost sharp woody hay note in the opening. I thought that this is how mimosa would smell, if it had a passionate night with the sandalwood in a haystack. Beautiful, sweet and attractive but slightly disheveled. The vintage EDP, however, is more gentle and sweet in the beginning with a bit of a fruity flavor. After the opening, the scent becomes creamier and sweeter as it transforms into a huge, fragrant bouquet of mimosa in both versions. In the dry down the scent continues to be mimosa sweet and slightly powdery. The lasting power is a bit better in the pure parfum version. This is a lovely interpretation of mimosa flower. Sweet, creamy and voluptuous. The ingredients seem to be of a good quality and the composition smells perfectly natural to me. No annoying chemical qualities. This is a very special and beautiful scent for an early spring. Overall score is 8.5/10

Farnesiana is the perfume that taught me to hold my horses and give it ten minutes or so. It opens very green and sharp on me, and smells vintage to the point of wanting to scrub. This is when the black currant peeks out and tries to amp up and clobber me. But I was promised warm, Almond, pudding-like notes, so I forced myself to wait. And thank the gods I did! I sampled this based on reviews that said if you like Etro Heliotrope or POTL Luctor et Emergo, you will like this. And that's dead on for me. The green notes warm up after 10-15 minutes and you're rewarded with a sweet cloud of Mimosa-almond-hay. There is absolutely heliotrope in this, even if not listed. It's one of my favs and always lends an almond powder to my skin. This does smell vintage and I can see it eliciting the dreaded "old lady" remark, which I understand. And luckily for me the black currant dies a fast death as I loathe it. My sample does smell better than the bottle I bought. I know I have a recent bottle and it takes longer to settle into that cozy scent I love. But it's an absolute favorite and I'm sad that it's been discontinued. With IFRA and drug regulations, my beloved heliotrope seems doomed to reformulations or outright elimination. If you're a fan of almond-heliotrope scents, grab this while you still can.

Caron just works with my chemistry. I adore the whole line. Farnesiana isnt modern at all but its one of those rich grand perfumes that make one swoon or gasp its too damn much. Well I tend to fall into the earlier category and Ive had my ups and downs with this Caron. I tried a vintage extrait and it was ok, but it just didnt sit too well with me. So I bought a sealed older EDP and it was magnificent. This Caron is extremely sensitive to age. So If you can grab it unopened or stored well you will have an amazing experience. If its been used, partial bottle, or not kept well it may turn you off. Beautiful yellow floral, powdery marzipan likeness. Sandalwood and violet and jasmine makes it tick. Id say this would be the mother to Montaigne, as they seem distantly related however Montaigne comes off heavier. Works well in the winter. Just splendid.

Mimosa and leathery violet, powder and almondy heliotrope dominate in the beginning, but this EdP quickly dries down into a realistic, non-sweet rendition of yellow mimosa. It’s a beautiful scent that reminds me of springtime in the south of France, when the mimosas bloom. After an hour or two the base of vanilla and white musk becomes prominent. Toward the very end, a little sandalwood appears. Sillage is moderate. I love the mimosa opening, and the drydown is pleasant to have lingering during the rest of the day. On skin, it lasts at least 6-8 hours. Farnesiana begins as a lovely, cheerful spring-like powdery floral scent that gradually becomes a warm gourmand-ish musky one. I like it very much, and would enjoy having a decant and wearing it on occasion.