Butterfly – Hanae Mori

I just received the EDT (pink butterfly) in a blind swap and I couldn't be happier! Especially after some pretty bad blind buys lately, the fact that I not only like this one upon first sniff, but borderline love it, certainly is a welcome change at this point. It doesn't really happen that often that I immediately like a fragrance. Usually I have to work my way towards appreciating new scents but with this one...BAM! Instant infatuation and no need to wait a while, while the nasty top notes fade away, try it out again under different circumstances, in a different climate, let it settle on the skin, etc.... Hanae Mori is just plain likeable from start to finish. No harsh edges, no prominent or weird notes that stick out or slap you across the face, just seamless, smooth, velvety soft sweetness that gently caresses you and almost wants to take care of you, give you warm milk and cookies, wrap you in a blanket and kiss you softly on the cheek. It has that kind of a maternal feel to it. Inherent kindness somehow. If you feel like being mean or bitchy this is not the fragrance to wear on that particular day ;) If I had to compare it to something, strawberry milkshake is the thing that comes to mind (mixed with magical happiness juice!). The kind you were rewarded with as a kid after doing a really good job at something! Heavenly. FYI I kind of get the comparison with Chopard Casmir, which I also have, but at the same time I also kind of don't get it. I mean I like both, but I like HM more. It is much smoother, quieter and easier to wear. Casmir could possibly be HM's bigger, louder, more obnoxious sister. You know, the one who wears too much makeup and blurts out things without thinking, only later to regret it. HM is more reserved, gentler, fresh-faced and innocent and would never dream of being inappropriate. The comparison with JS Fancy however I do not get at all. It has nothing in common with JS Fancy. I don't really understand where people are going with that one... Personally, I think it has more in common with JS Fancy Love if anything, with berries replacing the peach but the milky, creamy base remaining. Also, do not find it similar to VS Amber romance. Amber romance I don't particularly care for, it is much harsher and "in your face" imo. I would say HM is in a league of its own when it comes to sweet scent. Of all the sweet fragrances I have, HM (along with JS Fancy Love probably) is by far the best and easiest to wear, because of how subtle it is and because of it's creamy, non-bakery smelling sweetness (yes I'm talking to you Pink Sugar!). UPDATE 29/02/2013: So I think I have found a dupe for HM. Today I received Chopard Mira-Bai in a blind swap and to me it pretty much smells identical to HM (the dry down at least, minus the top notes), which might not come as a surprise since Mira Bai has been described as Chopard Casmirs little sister, which is also how I described HM, so accordingly there should be some similarities :)

I have loved Hanae Mori since the first time I snuck a spray in my boss's house. Twenty-five years later, and still I swoon. Firmly on my list of personal favorites, this also remains on the top of a list of dazzling scents that have been seriously underestimated, and will probably, and tragically, only achieve cult status posthumously. This perfume, once my signature scent, smells like the woman I always envisioned I should be, as I approached my twenties: Sweet and warm, strong and resilient, and ever so wonderfully composed, graceful like a lady. The fragrance had better success at achieving such virtuosity. I, on the other hand, struggled gaining any such refinements, and relegated myself to the reality of breaking gender barriers in various male dominated professions. Such began a woman's clumsy, and often unbalanced, attempt at shattering glass ceilings, while making it home in time to scrub floors. As a single mom, this also gave access to exhibiting both roles in parenting, and the freedom to express myself using any facet of voice from a spectrum that, so often, surrenders itself ultimately to the confines of nuclear-family norms, and role expectations. I say this all to emphasize again, how absolutely beautiful this perfume is, and despite a relatively heavy nod to femininity, smells fantastic on men alike. By in large the scent is woody in nature, but the kind of fiber that has been weathered soft; smoothed over its lifetime with friction, leaving its scent supple, and deeply warm. Sweetness develops with berry notes, balanced by their inherent tartness; macerated placidly with a touch of sugar and a radiant summer sun. There doesn't seem to be any real discernment in both woody or fruity notes, and not for one moment is Hanae lacking for it. Floral elements follow suit, devoid of a division between each specie. Possessing instead a common rhythm. Beating through the heart percussively, audible against the chest embracing you, while your own pulse slows to compensate. To be comforted so completely by a seemingly innocuous moment; the tender shared encounters, in turn manifesting the same characteristics in ourselves. That is what this perfume conjures for me. It reminds me to exist softly in my sanctum, and relate considerately towards others. It benevolently nudges me to be a better, kinder person. So maybe I was right to love this perfume all along. I suppose in the end, it gave exactly what I wished for, ever reminding me to shed complacency, and maintain the ambitions of love, tolerance, and a sound resilience to continue to reach for grace.

[This review is for the EDP purchased around 2014] I first came across Hanae Mori at a Sephora in Vegas, when I was in my late teens. The fragrance was still relatively new, and I remember desperately wanting a bottle but it was wildly out of my price range. I remembered the scent and purchased it over a decade later, and I’m pleased that it smells as I remember. Even now, revisiting the scent 6 years later, it still wears on me wonderfully. On me, this is forest berries (mostly blackcurrant) and vanilla almond cream. It is decidedly a gourmand to my nose, with no discernible woody or floral notes. However, the sandalwood and ylang ylang give the sweetness a dry quality that keeps it from becoming cloying. I have a hard time saying this is strawberry as it lacks the tartness that I associate with the fruit. Mostly, it is sweet, jammy, and a little musky, hence the blackcurrant. This comes off as fairly linear on me, as it stays in this cozy almond berry stage for quite some time. It smells edible, but thankfully not of baked goods or candy, just of something sweet and lovely in the air. With a light hand, I don’t smell any of the plastic that other reviewers mentioned, but I’ve found that scent develops differently depending on how much is applied. For me, this is quite a strong scent. A light spritz from more than 12 inches away on the lower body still envelops me in a cloud of sweetness. I am quite sensitive to synthetic fragrances these days and can only wear them cautiously, but this works despite being fairly intense. Because it is strong and feels quite cozy, it is a cool weather scent to me, but also lovely worn to bed. HM Butterfly reminds me of an 18 year old Japanese girl, on the cusp of adulthood. She is poised, refined, but still girlish and full of exuberance. She wears her hair long and straight with a barrette over one ear and just a dab of perfume, just enough to leave the scent of strawberry almond in the air.

Folks, this is a really (really) pretty sweet fruity vanilla floral. As I understand this fragrance, it comes in 3 different formats; EDT = "Pink Butterfly" (due to the colors on the box), EDP = "Blue Butterfly," and there is also a pure parfum 1 oz version. I'm familiar with the EDP/Blue Butterfly. I had this back in the late 90s. It was ahead of the trend for very sweet vanillic fruity scents that was about to take over the perfume market in the early 00's. I had a bottle and used it up way back then and soon became a fragnerd/collector and promptly forgot about it because it wasn't niche/exclusive enough... Anyway, that was my mistake... about a year ago I was thinking of this strawberry-vanilla-floral milkshake that I used to love and promptly bought a bottle for about $25-30. I mean, it's still really pretty and I still love it. It reminds me of Viva La Juicy Gold Couture (for a point of reference) but I like it tons better because it's slightly more delicate and airy. Also the bottle is beautiful and elegant and not ugly like those Juicy Couture horrors. Also, yes, it definitely also reminds me of Micallef Ylang in Gold. The ylang note does give it that banana-fruity tropical vibe. It is highly synthetic, as you might guess, but just thought I’d mention it. Honestly this is such a 'no brainer' pretty, delicate, little fruity vanilla number. It is impossible for those around you not to love the way this smells and I also love smelling this on myself. For an inexpensive flirty feminine fruity vanilla you can't go wrong 10/10. (The longevity is still decent -- it used to be a bit of a sillage monster and it's less so now but I would still rate it as moderate). I'm now wondering if I 'need' to get the pure parfum 1 oz.... I don't wear this type of extremely sweet (and let's be honest, very tween-20's vibe often) but when I feel like it, this really hits the spot.

Despite having no outright milky gourmand notes, this is strawberry marshmallow creme. It's a juicy berry fluff cloud with massive longevity and sillage, yet not cloying at all (I'm talking about the EDP, ftr). Literally don't bother with Burberry Her Elixir's doll-head Yankee Candle-smelling BS, just get this. Same with Kilian's Love Don't Be Shy; get this og strawberry queen instead. I left a review months ago for LDBS mentioning how much it smelled like Hanae Mori (even though it doesn't have a strawberry note), I almost couldn't believe it. The reviewer @eraksera is right, and I'll agree I'd rather spend money on this than shred my wallet for a bottle of Kilian (both are amazing fragrances btw, don't get me wrong). HM is just dreamy. It's girly and sweet, but not juvenile. Berries, subtle nuance of florals, and a fluffy woody base. Every once in a while, the combination of notes gives me a strong lychee note, which is unexpected, but extremely pleasant either way. I left a review for this in 2008, and mentioned how it reminded me of a strawberry field I passed by on a bike in The Netherlands. Still remains true to an outdoor strawberry field smell. It's so heavenly. Though it may be sweet, it works well all year round. I can handle it in a Texas summer, which is saying something. Hanae Mori fragrances are indeed becoming rather elusive, but this is not discontinued . If you can't find it on the gray market, you can find this on the Hanae Mori official website, which is where I got my bottle of Magical Moon. They ship very quickly from France. Oh, and yeah, the labeling is confusing with Hanae Mori. They call it Hanae Mori Butterfly, but they are referring to this either way. Just know that: Pink Butterfly = EDT. Blue Butterfly = EDP.