Magnolia

elizabethW MAGNOLIA offers yet more confirmation of my longstanding belief that women have every business in the world smelling like flowers! My goodness this is gorgeous. Fresh, creamy, billowy magnolia petals. Am I smelling the other notes? Certainly this does not scream gardenia, and the mimosa may be contributing, along with the sandalwood, to the creaminess. I believe that I catch a very light waft of saffron in the background, but mostly this is all about magnolia. I have not had too much luck with magnolia fragrances in the past, mainly because they are not in ready abundance. I believe that Guerlain claims to have used magnolia for the first time in a perfume in XXXXX? (was it L'Instant?). I tried to come to terms with Lanvin RUMEUR, but the caustic industrial chemical factory fumes opening was way too difficult for me to endure, so I swapped my big bottle away. And what a beautiful bottle it was! I'll have to pick up a mini at some point. In any case, elizabethW is a totally obscure budget niche perfume house based in San Francisco. Most people have never heard of elizabeth W and probably never will because as far as I know they make next to no effort on the marketing front. (For years they were absent from the fragrantica database!) That must be how they can charge so little for their high quality fragrances, all of which have a similarly simple structure in common with MAGNOLIA. Now, there are those who say that women have no business smelling like flowers. My take? They are all shilling for other perfumes! Coco Chanel, may she rest in peace, appears to have been the first to proclaim as a grand tastemaker that women have no business smelling like flowers. Why? Because she wanted women to smell like aldehydes and, more specifically, Chanel no 5! For those of you lovely ladies who would rather be a Southern belle than Zsa Zsa Gabor or an Almodovar protagonist: elizabethW can help you to make it happen. MAGNOLIA provides everything I've ever dreamed of in a magnolia perfume.

I don't think any other magnolia soliflore out there will ever match Elizabeth W's Magnolia. This perfume is so soft and sweet, a slightly creamy magnolia. It's definitely a soliflore type of fragrance, so I don't detect any hint of gardenia, sandalwood, or saffron. I am crazy for saffron, but I get none here. If you are looking for a quality magnolia soliflore, look no further! This one makes me feel like a Southern Belle, sipping sweet tea under a magnolia tree to escape the summer heat. It's such a fine, exquisite scent. Very casual, best for day time.

A very pretty, soft glowing magnolia blossom! Great for layering and a great price. This is a small USA perfume house with great attention to detail! "This enchanting fragrance unfolds with the delicate allure of white magnolia petals, deepened by the rich warmth of saffron and sandalwood. Riviera mimosa and gardenia add a soft floral touch, creating a captivating blend that evokes the elegance and mystery of a warm evening breeze. Perfect for those seeking a scent that embodies both grace and passion."

Do I like this? Yes. Is it pretty? Yes. Does it smell like the magnolia flowers outside my bedroom. No. This is a pretty, 80s perfumy, fragrance with notes that are inderscernable to my nose. This was an inexpensive blind buy that fills a void in my wardrobe, but the magnolia void is still there.