A Hold On Me

I bought 50ml for £9.99 at the altar of the great TK Maxx. On my skin, the florals are a brief trace, then it's zesty spice that settles into a deeply layered and very sexy blend. I adore pepper and spices in scents, so this makes me happy. No cumin, which is refreshingly unusual. I'm happy to say I get no vanilla. The disappointment is that it's a skin scent so soon, and it doesn't last. I wish I was one of those towards the far end of sillage and longevity. I would love to trail this behind me across my evening/day/lifetime. I've been spraying it on my clothes and it doesn't even last on those. I love it so much I could happily bury my nose in it for days.

Very light, fresh, white floral to start. Crisp, not overly sweet. Has a slight citrus note. Becomes richer, a bit sweeter, slightly spicier. Very easy to wear, nothing crazy; classic and classy, with a great price tag. Performs better in warmer weather, sunshine/outdoors. Lasted about 5hrs with one spritz, before becoming a skin scent.

Sunshiney, warm, soft and spicy with perfect florals. I absolutely love it. Reminds me of a lighter take on Lauder Sensuous.

I really like this warm and creamy woody floral, but I'm a little perplexed by the two-note profile listed on this site because there is a lot more going on here than just that. I'm picking up sandalwood, vanilla, spices, something creamy, almost like whipped cream, and I think a little bit of cedar too. All is combined with a great smelling, in full bloom lily. It's a very pretty and unusual floral. The pimento seed is great here. It adds freshness with a little spiciness, and the scent of pepper without the nose stinging bite of it. I don't know if that is the nature of pimento seeds since I've never smelled that note in any perfume before that I know of, but I love the warm soft spiciness it adds to this scent (if that is what accounts for what I am smelling here). And unlike some perfumes where I love one part but am not so crazy about another, this was enjoyable from beginning to end. Performance is good. I got about five hours with soft silage and projection, so it's good for close quarters and work situations. Prices are also really good for this scent. I picked up a travel sprayer for a cheap price that should give me plenty of wears, and even fbs are reasonably priced. I think this would be a safe blind buy or a nice choice as a gift because I can't see anyone disliking this scent. I really like it a lot. Edit - I wore this numerous times in all seasons and while it smelled great in all of them it really shined in the warmer weather. The lily becomes so creamy then.

hear me out, even if most audiences on fragrantica rates is as for women it's designed for men too. i like this because of its spicy and woody nature. definitely a summer fragrance

Reminds me of my bottle of Blazing Lily without the gunpowder note. A spicy lily with a bit of creaminess probably from vanilla in the base that isn't listed.

@Anamandy says it all - there’s a lot going on here! Strong wood and soap vibe for me. The spices shine. Not my style but I have a relative who will probably love this. Passing it along.

I have Derek Lam's 2am Kiss and Something Wild and was pleasantly surprised by both - cheapies that are pleasing to smell and easy to wear. Derek Lam scents, at least the two I own, have very simple note pyramids and yet each has a subtle richness that belies the lack of accord complexity. Having had this experience, when I saw "A Hold On Me" come across my discount perfume site, I grabbed it for a very inexpensive price. However, this one is a total dud for me. I am wearing it now and all I get are cheap hotel shampoo vibes, as in the shampoo you find bolted to the tile shower wall in those dispensing pumps. I had no idea what to expect with the pimento seed note but it clearly does not suit me (or is it the tiger lily?). I am very glad others have had a good experience with this though. Just because a perfume is inexpensive, doesn't mean it can't be fabulous. I love my other Derek Lam perfumes and - at this price - I can forgive the occasional mismatch between my skin chemistry and a blind buy. Edit: 4/8/2026 Gave this to my husband - "Surprise! I got you a new cologne!" - which I set on his tray where the other surprises I've picked up have landed - and wouldn't you know it, on him it smells divine :)

This one was not for me. Made me feel like I was wearing my grandma perfume. I thought it was more powdery than spicy.

I have a solid perfume version of this. A Hold on Me is a pleasant floral spicy cloud, smudged with delicate woody musk. The florals have an almost green, almost indolic tang to their white spiciness, while also being creamy. In the dry-down it can become more creamy, almost tropical. Projection is very close. Doesn't last long, maybe two hours. I haven't tried this in an edp spray. I also have a solid perfume version of Give Me the Night by Derek Lam, which is another pleasant, creamy-woody, soft white floral, and I never reach for either of these. Maybe solid perfume just isn't the medium I'm looking for.

This is my second favorite out of the newer releases from Derek Lam (the first being Give Me The Night). This scent is lightly sweet with a tinge of spice. On my skin there is a hint of powder as well which I love. It vaguely reminds me of the Tussy deodorant cream I used to wear as a child. I would wear this on a sunny day with a white tank top and jeans, it’s perfectly casual

Very creamy soft white floral with a pinch of spice to it. Love this scent! Such a great blind buy and perfect for all day wear!

I tested this today. Very fresh and clean. Reminds me clearly of Samba Nova..