Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic

Mandarin Basilic is a cult classic and for a good reason. A real fresh mandarin with green notes, light and happy, ethereal but not boring and bland! It was my first experience with fresh, citrusy, green, aromatic scents back in the day. I personally find this scent really natural smelling, fresh and energising. Cooling and breezy. It is one of those uplifting scents I like to put this on first thing in the morning or anytime of the day when I feel I need an energy boost. And it works! The opening is a very juicy, sweet orange, mandarine/clementines, with orange blossom mix. Then the green tea, basil, ivy, chamomile and peonies come in giving Mandarin Basilic a soothing, comforting side. At this stage it’s a gorgeous combination of delicate florals and aromatics. I can’t really say I get the sandalwood and the amber per se, I perceive the base notes mostly as something that offers the citrusy and floral notes warmth and softness. Perfect for summertime or hot weather wear since it’s such a light scent, lasts for 4 hours with heavy spraying but stays close to the skin. Also, I find Mandarin Basilic completely unisex and appropriate to be worn at any age. It’s perfect for a young person who’s new to fragrance and wants something easy and uncomplicated to wear but also fits to more experienced fragrance lovers for a casual wear when you need a break from heavy, challenging scents. Found a good deal and got myself a second 125 ml bottle!

My actual findings of Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic sprayed from a sample vial, 2 on neck, 2 shared on wrists and back of hands. Clear and exuberant notes of clementine, bitter orange & basil pop beautifully upon first spray. Super bright and cheerful. The opening notes begin to soften moments later allowing the milder notes of mandarin, teas, Ivy and orange blossom to introduce themselves less intrusively. It’s a beauty at this point! Basil, chamomile and peony fill the fragrance with an herbal softness and a pale floral balance as the citrus mildly soften. It reminds me of a beautifully choreographed ballet, the timing and transitions are soft, fluid & impeccable! I now realize that the “basilic” part of its name is most appropriate and clever as it’s certainly not all about the citrus! Mandarin Basilic’s citrus and herbal blend is absolutely stunning, it is soft yet bright enough to cheer the gray windy 1° weather blues we are challenged with today. Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic by Guerlain Paris is not only the brilliant summer freshie most are inclined to use it as, but it’s also an amazing “pick-me-up” for blah wintry days when a good dose of of Vitamin C & D are much needed. Addendum: I’ve just begun to notice the sandalwood and amber nuances & there are the loveliest micro bursts of citrus in the deep dry-down that refresh your senses, more Guerlain magic!

I recently bought a bottle of this from the duty free in Malta and from the time I sprayed it to the time I landed home was about 3 hours in which this lasted. I mention this to address the longevity issues some have with this range, because to me that's actually pretty alright for an EDT and ESPECIALLY a citrus one. I have had EDPs who have lasted the same or less. Now about the scent it really is the best most real life and fresh mandarin/orange citrus on the market and there is just no doubt in my mind about this. I think everyone who enjoys citrus fragrances should have this. The basil and green tea only work to enhance the freshness of the citrus. There is basically NO sweetness in this scent, instead there is warmth, which I am guessing is because of the amber at the base. I know a lot of people associate mandarins with Christmas, but this evokes warm summer sunlight flickering through the green leaves of a mandarin tree. People who say it's simple are right, however that is absolutely a feature and not a bug. There is no need to add sugar or spices when the orange scent itself is this good and natural smelling. Overall a gorgeous and elegant fragrance. TRUE unisex and perfect for spring and hot summer days.

It is a summery delight. Gentle, refreshing, very true to the fruit but not overdone. It is a perfume take on citrus. Clean, vibrant. Rather shy on the skin but the 1,5 hours I wear it I feel it. After 4 hours it is already a skin scent. It is predominantly fruity with soft herbal and floral edge. I actually enjoy its softness, I must finally buy a bottle, today I am wearing a sample. Herba Fresca, this, Pamplelune, Teazzura, Ylang et Vanille remain the best Aqua Allegorias in my opinion. And Grosselina. And Nerolia Vetiver. But I must say I dont know them all. Bosca Vanilla is calling me too. Surely one can pick their own every spring and summer. Many scents fade and dissipate in heat but Mandarine Basilic actually intensifies. One of my favourite citrus. It feels dreamy and watery, like a good mandarine lemonade with basil leaves. I just wear Chance Eau Fraiche edt more often than my Allegorias but next year I am expanding my Allegoria collection for sure. I so regret being late to the Harvest line. They disappeared lightning fast - it was so good. I dont know the Forte line, it must be interesting, too. Both feature Mandarine Basilic for a good reason.

This one was love at first sniff. It starts out very bright, almost sparkling, juicy mandarin that almost comes across as pink grapefruit. I tried this one after finding that I was anosmic to Light Blue Intense, which broke my heart because the opening note was to DIE for! Unfortunatley, I couldn't smell it at all after about 20 minutes. For the Mandarin Basilic, depending on how much you put on (I use 2 sprays per wrist) that mandarin note will LAST compared to the lemony opening note in Light Blue Intense. It will begin to fade after an hour or two on me, but it's still truly THERE hours later. As it dies down, the peony begins to come through, combining with the mandarin until, much later, only a trace remains. Not a good blind buy. If you don't find it lasts with 1 spray/wrist, try 2 per. It made the difference between almost turning it down to falling in love with it for me!