Love's Lemon Scent

I bought several of these a few years ago when they were on clearance, not realizing it was being discontinued again. This is one that I had in the 80s. It used to be a very zesty, fresh, realistic lemon scent with no added notes. Pretty much impossible to find these days because they're always adding something to lemon to try to make it more long lasting (vanilla, musk, coconut, floral or woody notes, etc). This version that I bought a few years ago, like the one in the picture, is not the same as the 80s version. It's a plain, slightly articifial, lemon candy type of a scent that lasts for less than an hour. It's still okay since I appreciate a plain lemon scent, however I wish they would bring back the 80s version, but it doesn't appear like this will ever happen. :( I don't think this smells like any of the perfumes listed above that this is being compared to (I've smelled or had all of them, and they all have floral or woody notes or something else.. this does not). However, I would skip the insane EBay prices for this (which I have done, and citruses do not keep well through time, they spoil and smell like pee). Sometimes I mix lemon essential oil in some good quality grain alcohol for a lemon fix, and the Turkish Duru lemon cologne isn’t bad, although that has added lemon blossom. Eyup Sabri Tuncer Cesme Lemon is also good and lemony (not the classic one, that’s more neroli/ orange blossom).

Update: After a month it grew on me. Maybe I just refused to dislike it because I'm obsessed with aesthetically time-travelling as close to the 70s as possible! The lemon and lemongrass started to blend more in my perception and now I love it! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [Reviewing current version] My earliest encounter with Fresh Lemon was its late 80/early 90s version. I believe it was owned/produced by MEM. The bottle was transparent with the name in horizontally oriented print. I remember it as a straightforward, realistic sweet-tart lemon. The Dana website currently lists theses notes: TOP Lemon peel Lemon blossoms MIDDLE Hyacinth Jonquil BOTTOM Citrus/Lemon blossoms That said, I get exactly two notes. At first spray I smell the older version's bright lemon and, seemingly from nowhere, lemongrass. (Sadly, as I hate lemongrass, but that's me.) The lemongrass turns dominant over time until the lemon is gone *poof*. I'd classify this version as an herbal citrus. The longevity on my hair and clothes is impressive for any lemon especially an inexpensive "youth" version. My hatred of lemongrass aside, I do like the early balance of the two notes. I'd love to read more reviews of this version and see if others get any of the listed notes.

Pearl Jam, has a line of lyrics that sings "Lemon Yellow Sun" and that perfectly describes this fragrance. It smells like a perfect summer day of sunshine, happiness, and lightheartedness in a bottle. It opens with a fresh burst of slightly under-ripe fresh lemons with the slightly sour pith. That my favorite part, but it only lasts about 15 minutes until it fades into a warm musk mingled with that fresh lemon note. I went from this scent to wearing YSL Rive Gauche and they have the exact same dry down. A tart citrus over a warm musk, but Love's Lemon Fresh costs about 10 times less. I wish it lasted longer because it's the truest lemon scent I've ever found. I layered it with Bliss Spa Lemon & Sage shower gel and body butter, which are also great true for a true lemon scent. It's been over 12 hours and I can still smell it very faintly. At this price, it does not bother me at all to keep reapplying. It's worth it and it's the perfect scent for this hot weather. This scent was a huge success in the 1970s and 40 years later, it's still around and still great. That kind of track record says something.

I was excited to see Dana brought this back again. Their current, updated version of the regular Love’s Baby Soft is a little closer to the 80s version I used to use, so I had high hopes this lemon version would be restored to its former glory as well, or at least close. The 80s version was a bright, fresh, realistic lemon with no other notes. The last version Dana had out, around 2014 or so, was more of a candy-like lemon. This latest 2023 version, I think Greenwoman’s review below mine is spot on. I was worried about all the floral notes listed, but all I smell is lemon and lemongrass. Lemongrass isn’t my favorite note, so I find this disappointing. I’ll still use it, but I wish it was more lemony. Fun, nostalgic brand. I do like the newer packaging and sunny yellow color.

I love the original and find the various reformulations to be so so to not bad. Nothing like the original- I have some from each stage of it's decline as well as a little of the original- which has remained true intact and amazing. Real citrus essential oils tend not to fare well over time which makes this even more amazing. I wasted some money and time tracking down what was supposedly the vintage original juice but was instead one of the vintage reformulations or worse. This was perfect- clean, no sugar at all, not a sinus stabber, not sharp but FRESH, sour in the right way. If only we had warning when fragrance are about to go extinct....Ah well, I've said that too many times already.