Lilac City

I blind bought this in a manic sleepless state based on my general like for the brand and love of lilacs (thankfully also had some coupons because that Bergdorf exclusive price point is high!). I don't necessarily regret my decision - I think this scent is beautiful - but I really wish it lasted longer on my skin. The longevity lacking there for me, I am lucky to get 2 hours on a good day. I feel as though I'll enjoy this a lot more in the spring and summer when my skin is exposed and the fragrance can breathe more. But for now I find that I have to reapply throughout the day to re-invigorate. Other than that gripe, I find this to be a very soothing musky floral that is fresh + maybe a bit soapy. Kind of reminds me of how I smell after I use a bath bomb. There is a beautiful softness and warmth as others have described. Edit: My partner sprayed this on himself and I smelled lilacs on him for hours after, has to be one of those perfumes that is still working even though you can't smell it working on yourself.

The 2023 Bergdorf re-release is divine, deep, delicious without being gourmand. It is a warm lilac which I love, airily musky and earth heavy. Lilac scents so often feel cold—this conjuring a warm, sensual spring day laden with lilac is refreshing. It’s heavy in how it sits as well: remnant notes lasted through a long, warm shower the other night and I find the sillage a satisfying veil (never imposing, but sheltering). As spring is beautiful in both its lightness and bursting violence, so is this fragrance. A Clarice Lispector quote from her short story “O Delírio” felt apt for this: “From the torn and black Earth, one by one emerges, light as the breath of a sleeping child, small beings of pure light, barely resting their transparent feet on the ground... Lilac colors float in space like butterflies. Slender flutes rise to the sky and fragile melodies burst in the air like bubbles. The pink forms continue to emerge from the wounded earth.”

According to the official packaging of the fragrance I received in 2025, the notes are listed as follows: Top Notes: Petals, Lime, Bergamot Heart Notes: Purple Lilac, Jasmine Sambac, Orris Base Notes: Fancy Musk, Concrete, White Moss I’ve sampled a wide range of lilac perfumes as part of my personal research project to find the most photorealistic lilac scent. Lilac City isn't exactly photorealistic, but it scratches a very specific itch. It captures an intimate, dirty lilac in a way that feels deeply sensual. Like a crack in the concrete sidewalk slowly exhaling a humid, floral vapor, this fragrance oozes with something raw and intoxicating. The jasmine sambac weaves seamlessly into this affair. This perfume is not fresh or airy. it's dusty, indolic, and deeply intimate. There’s nothing clean about it, and that’s precisely what makes it so compelling. The moment I spot a full bottle, I’ll be running to get it.

My favorite lilac perfumes is Lilac City from DS&DURGA - the dry down is perfection. Such a unique floral - it’s dewy and complex like an early morning walk in Central Park. I can feel the breeze and quiet... but you sense a tension of things to come. You stop seeing a thicket of soft purple over a stone fence. As you’re staring at the lilacs, you hear the city waking behind you - people crossing the street, horns honking, and a group of bicyclists coming up the path. You turn and join the noise but carrying a piece of lilac in your pocket. It

A simple and beautifully done floral woody musk. The main star here is a central natural lilac which is used in a nice absolute form. As the perfume dries off one can detect slight hints of amber, a concrete accord, sandalwood and synthetic musk. The perfume is akin to drowning in a sea of lilacs. The feminine leaning scent has moderate projection and good longevity. A must try for lovers of natural florals. Enjoy!