L'Imperatrice Limited Edition

First off.... I have the Bright pink juice bottle of the Limited edition with the bright pink packaging/box. My bottle also says “Limited Edition”. So please be sure that I am reviewing based on this version and not the OG bottle that I see a lot of reviews below mentioning. The opening is zesty, sour, tart fruit. Strawberries and fresh, green watermelon that are not yet ripe enough to eat. It comes off sharp upon first impression especially if you are not ready for it. But please... I beg you... wait for it!!! I don’t know how they did it but, the sour strawberries literally ripen to juicy, sweet red with your body heat while it sits on your skin... give it time. All the while surrounded by a prominent rose that also goes from green to jammy and in full bloom. This, with clean, slightly soapy musk, sweet florals like peony and creamy, powdery magnolia, there is a fresh juicy, fruit and creme fraîche combo to this fragrance. Watermelon is really NOT a dominant player here for me while on my skin, personally. The watermelon provides an aquatic feel but that’s about it. I mostly just get juicy strawberries and aquatic rose. I was expecting to get the smokiness in the drydown based on the notes, but that did not happen. Which kind of left me disappointed. Nonetheless, I was not expecting to enjoy this because it’s not a scent profile I usually go for. Dominant fruit and/ or rose scents are hit and miss for me. However, I am warming up to it. I look forward to wearing this in the summer! I love this especially right after a shower!!! Feminine, Floral, Juicy, Fruity, and Refreshing. Edit: I feel that if you own the OG, you probably don’t need to have this unless you are looking for something more floral. I find the OG more fizzy and effervescent than this. And this more shampooey than the OG. I own both and love them both for different reasons. The only difference besides those mentioned above is the floral vs fruity aspect. If you want more of an ”in your face” tart fruit, go with the OG. If you want more floral with your fruit, go with Limited Edition. Been wearing for a few days now. And the deepest of its drydown on skin is almost exactly like Q EDP which I also own. A total surprise!!! I have to wonder if Q was inspired by the very last stages of L’Imperatrice’s (limited edition) drydown.

L’Imperatrice Limited Edition – Spring Air with a Hint of 90s Nostalgia Today was the first truly promising warm day here in Florida, and this was the obvious reach. I haven’t worn L’Imperatrice Limited Edition since I bought it over the holidays, but the second I sprayed it this morning, I remembered exactly why I loved it: this is an easy 10/10 for wearability. The watermelon note is bright and airy, but importantly — not juvenile and not gourmand. It doesn’t smell like candy or a body spray. It smells like a perfume. A polished, lightly aquatic, slightly ozonic fruity floral that floats rather than shouts. The strawberry and florals give it lift, while the musk grounds everything just enough to keep it feeling grown and put together. There’s something in the blend — maybe the airy musk or that soft, slightly smoky undertone — that gives me a subtle 90s nostalgia. Not in a dated way, but in that clean, confident, “first warm day” kind of way. This feels like spring stepping forward and gently promising that summer is close behind. It’s breezy, feminine, and incredibly easy to wear. The projection is soft but noticeable — it floats in the air rather than forming a heavy cloud. If you’re looking for a fruity floral that feels light, fresh, and wearable without tipping into sugary territory, this is beautiful. In short: Airy watermelon, soft florals, clean musk — light, nostalgic, and perfect for the first warm days of the year. 📱 I share seasonal scent picks and real-life wear impressions regularly. Follow me on TikTok @buzzwithhoneybee 💜✨

The short: Scent Profile: fruity, floral, fresh, young, casual Performance: lasting power moderate to low on skin, longer on clothes, projection arm's length Value for money: OK, maybe a bit pricey for what it is so best acquired from discounters for less. The long: Judging by the name I was expecting something a bit more regal or mature that you would wear for a formal occasion, but it turns out to be a fun and youthful scent perfect for outdoors in the sun, so a bit of a misnomer I guess but that's alright. On me it's a fresh, juicy watermelon scent laced with tart berries and soft flowers (I get mostly peonies) that is yummy and addictive, and thankfully I didn't get the dreaded BO smell that so many are describing. It could be because of the reaction with our skin's pH, so I suggest wearing it on clothes instead of the neck or wrist. That way I find it stays perfectly pleasant with lasting power up to 5 hours, while on skin it's about 3 hours. Projection is about arm's length with a small but noticeable scent trail. Overall it's pretty nice and should be an easy reach for hot days, but the price is a bit up there so if you want to save some cash it's best to buy at a discounters. Try sampling if possible, as the tart berry accord in this (which some people equate with the BO smell) could be a deal breaker for you. p/s: I've sampled the original and this is only marginally different, so if you have that one there's no need for this, unless you're a collector that is.

I finally found a tester of this perfume at Ulta. This is so close to L'Imperatrice 3 that it is hard to distinguish - unless you are testing these side by side on your arms. I LOVE this fragrance for summer -- it is as refreshing as a Jolly Rancher candy, and just as mouthwatering! YUM! This whole line is something that my junior high self would have loved... yes, it is a slightly juvenile, but it is a lot of fun! I would have been doing cart wheels for these perfumes! They are so much fun! Launched in 2020. The nose behind this fragrance is Nathalie Lorson. Top notes are Watermelon and Strawberry; middle notes are Pink Peony, Magnolia, Damask Rose and Cyclamen; base notes are Musk, Woody Notes, Sandalwood and Smoke. -------------- This only lasts an hour or two on my skin, so I have been trying to find something that is in this same fragrance genre that will last longer. I think I have finally found something that is this same family of perfumes that is almost as much fun -- Coach Floral Blush - which is like the Monet version of L'Imperatrice/L'Imperatrice 3 -- it is a little bit softer, easier to wear at the office or in enclosed spaces such as when you are in a crowd at the theater, sporting event, etc... This has similar fruity notes, but is slightly more toned down and polished. Together, these could be a great spring/summer signature.

As another reviewer has noted, this is the newer, limited edition formulation which is notably sweeter than the original L'imperatrice 3. I have both, and although I enjoy the first one, this one is definitely my preference. It is a lovely, watery, light fragrance that suits the hottest temperatures of summer beautifully. I wear this exclusively as a daytime fragrance, and it's not a sexy fragrance IMO. It's light, and fruity, and playful. I know there are those who think of it as youthful, but I find it suitable for all ages. On my skin it lasts pretty well (5 to 6 hours or longer) with moderate sillage. It doesn't have the tart rhubarb and spicy pink pepper notes that so many people found polarizing in the original one, and the addition of the strawberry and peony notes are what sweetens this one. People who loved the OG L'imperatrice might find this one disappointing, but overall I feel it is probably more universally appealing to many people. Although I do appreciate the original, I have to be in a very specific mood to wear it, whereas this one is more of an easy warm weather reach for me. It's not what I'd consider a safe blind buy, but if light and fruity fragrances are your vibe, you might want to get your nose on this one.