Fragonard

I bought a 37ml bottle of this scent in eau de parfum format when we first visited the South of France a number of years ago, and was instantly hooked. Gradually it’s become my key scent, overtaking Chanel 5 which I think I'd perhaps overused for a time. The original and the best of all Fragonard fragrances, the perfume house’s signature EDP is a clever piece of chemistry, in that it presents itself as a simple floral, but I think there is far more going on here than meets the eye. Despite the initial floral blast, this is no "youthful, girly" fragrance, gone in a flash. It needs to be worn by someone who appreciates the journey. The scent comes out strong and kicking, enveloping the body with an incredible headrush of sparkly honeysuckle and jasmine, ably supported by deeper tones of heavy white lilac; the first notes of which are reminiscent of En Passant by Fredric Malle, which I also adore but which sadly disappears off my skin in less than a couple of hours. Eventually those delicious warm, lingering amber base notes come through. The combination of this and the lilac hugs the skin all milky-musky and piquant, strongly reminiscent of the head of a sleeping new-born baby - there is just no other way of describing it! This is the stage I love the most, it is both delicious and addictive. Be warned - the EDP is a deception. Don’t spray around other people, unless you want them all to be wearing your scent - it will be distinctly noticeable from a good distance away for a very long time. And despite its strong initially standardised florals; the smooth evolution into new and equally powerful heart and base notes, and its sheer scent longevity (7-8 hours +) makes it so much more than a one or two note teenage romance. Fragonard is a very sophisticated scent, when seen through to the end. I buy a new bottle of EDP direct from the factory in Eze at least once a year. Try the EDT (which M&S stocks) if you are only after the initial floral hit. But if you want pick up those marvellous milky, musky base notes, don’t go with anything less than the EDP. It's worth the extra effort for this reason alone. A traditional smelling classic in the realms of Channel 5, and currently my everyday go-to perfume.

Fragonard stands alone,on a stong foundation! To my nose, Fragonard is much better than Fidji! Of course this is a warm and feminine floral that is perfectly sweet-not too much-and each note is perfect to my nose, but lily doesn't stick out (upstaged by jasmine and honeysuckle). I can picture this on some breathtakingly beautiful woman who doesn't wear much makeup, if any, nor does she dress flashy or sexy in a modern way. Reminds me of the beautiful long dresses women in Italy wear during the summer-sleek, modest yet very pretty (while many of the long dresses here in America are mostly frumpy and dull, and the familiar sillage of the modest but sophisticated is much colder....) Fidji is much more dry and Oriental-like, and I can smell the patchouli throughout-but this is pure flowers-stunning, and would be "intoxicating" were it too much. Fragonard's namesake is svelte--unmatched traditional perfume rather than commercial or niche. May Fragonard never change this formula! I feel beautiful, even sexy but ageless-neither above or beneath my years-wearing Fragonard.I could see myself wearing this wonder for years to come.

A fragrance laced with grace, romance and understated luxury, a timeless aura of comfort and assurance for any time of the day or year. As a souvenur of a recent trip, I got the ever popular 10-piece discovery kit from Fragonard (along with Ile d'Amour and Coeur de Soleil). So I got to test the original perfume along with many other fabulous ones. It is decidedly white floral, starts off fresh, aldehydic and a bit bitter green (like crushed flower stems), but soon mellows out into a creamy musky haze, evoking all sorts of comforting things - a bubble bath with the thickest of white soap foam, the rich smell of a handcream, a sip of lemonade under a jasmine bush. It is well balanced and lasts long, with hyacinth, honeysuckle and lilly being the most prominent on me. The Fragonard signature fragrance is fresh but substantial, very versatile, a bit retro and very, very pleasing. An extra spray gets you a statement fragrance. Similar to the old Nature by Ives Rocher and just a bit to Anais Anais.

This was my first Fragonard and remains one of my all-time favorite perfumes. There is something intoxicating about this scent. It's best for spring or fall, and is suitable for day or evening wear. When I first purchased it I got the edt in a glass bottle, and for some reason I think I preferred that over what I have now, which is the parfum. I think it might be the aluminum flacon that I dislike; when you sniff the bottle there is a strong metallic scent that I find distracting. Nevertheless, it's a gorgeous, heady fragrance, and the one responsible for beginning my obsession with perfumes! Update: I still love this one, mostly out of sentimentality, but it has to be said that it disappears from my skin within half an hour. To have any staying power at all, you need to spray it quite liberally onto clothing. And the metallic note I mentioned isn’t due to the metal flacon, it’s present in the newer glass bottle of edt I purchased more recently. Whatever the note is, it’s also in Anais Anais.

I have been admiring FRAGONARD, a high quality beautiful bouquet of white flowers, all day. What a joy to breath in fresh, genuine floral essences. Just say "no" to sour, stale, ersatz, synthetic chemical soup! This wonderful edt transports me back to the South of France: Nice, Eze, and above all Grasse, where I made a pilgrimage a few years ago. Fields of flowers abound at every turn, and there are plenty of people around who genuinely care about the *art* of perfume. Everyone who loves perfume needs to visit Grasse--and not just virtually, through the sinister film "Perfume: Story of a Murderer"... FRAGONARD is a truly scrumptious floral: I can dive into this bouquet and be happy for hours. The edt has good staying power and the drydown remains gently and tenderly floral. Honeysuckle and neroli are especially noteworthy to my nose. Although I generally steer clear of supersize bottles of fragrance, in this case, I am happy that I purchased the 200ml bottle--more to love and share!!!