Hanae by Hanae Mori

I don't know how I didn't realize that this was a more recent release for the Hanae Mori line and not one that existed from the start. Then again, I should have known better, considering that flankers of popular scents are really only a recent phenomenon...maybe within the past maybe 15 years? More? Less? I don't know a whole lot about the perfume industry, but it seems to me that it used to be that when perfumes were released (at least in the '80s), no matter if you got the EDP, the EDT, the cologne or the parfum version...you pretty much got the exact same scent only in different strengths. That was my own experience at least (think Chanel No 5. Or Shalimar). But of course the flanker phenomenon has literally exploded with the constant and desperate need to release something new (yet still familiar) every, what, five minutes? ...But I digress! As for Hanae itself, this is a love. Bought it blind in a gift set with the body cream at TJ Maxx (along with Hanae Mori Butterfly EDP, which is next on my list to put to a wear test). I LOVE toffee scents (my other loves are Chopard Wish and Vanilla Noir by BBW), and this one does not disappoint. Toffee manages to lend a slightly chocolatey/caramel bent while staving off the toothaching sweetness of a praline (LVEB). The main notes I get are toffee, wild strawberry (slightly tart) and vanilla, and these last all day. It's very nice to also have the body cream, which may be assisting quite a bit with this aspect. I've never worn Flowerbomb or LVEB, mostly because they were too popular and I resist smelling just like everyone else, but I'm guessing Hanae is just on this side of going overboard on the sweetness and projection of those two. This is a fragrance for all gourmand lovers, regardless of your age. Bon apetit!

I am extremely excited tonight, after the USPS gave one last Hail Mary attempt to catch up deliveries after the holiday(s), and I received three new perfumes that are absolutely fabulous. Randomly, I have chosen Hanae for my first review, and she is a pretty, pretty princess - Indeed! I do have a bias for Hanae Mori in general, because the mother scent was my signature perfume for the longest time, and even after being replaced here and there, still returns as one of my favorite, and underrated, perfumes of all time. Hanae takes some of the same interesting tones from the original with use of strawberry, sandalwood, and vanilla - being the predominate of the former, and brightens them with a floral, bright, fruity freshness, that is just dazzling! Sugary notes soften as they mingle with the woody chords, and become powdery and feminine, blushing slightly, with young innocence. This! This is how mainstream modern gourmands seem to aim, and fall just short of that small mark - the honey spot. The place of sweetness, without diabetes, spicy warmth without carnival, brassy fruits without bruising, powdery without pretentiousness, and damp woods without insidious rot. Dry down continues to be delightful. The bottle is darling. Longevity and sillage are stellar. Yeah, that tight little space between cliche and greatness...it shines here.

I HAD TO delete my previous review bcs I felt it did no justice to how irresistibly gorgeous this perfume is! 💖 I purchased this a few days ago thanks to the high rating and rave reviews here, and now...I keep on sniffing the bottle.👃🏼 It's SURPRISINGLY scrumptious & mouthwatering~ I can't stop smelling my skin.. It's definitely "Toffee, sweet strawberry, vanilla, and a very candied patchouli". First spray I can REALLY SMELL the apple 🍎 & blackcurrant🍇, followed by the strong, sweet strawberry🍓, vanilla and toffee! What's even more shocking is the strawberry doesn't smell synthetic or syrupy. 10 or so minutes pass and the delicious candy patchouli shows itself...After half an hour the creamy woods🌲 start emerging giving a nice ground to the scent. The performance is great: Sillage is more than arms length. And the strawberry is way more distinguishable from afar. After spraying Hanae on this scent is STILL on my skin after 10-12 hours!! Overall it's the best blind purchase I ever had. It's fruity, sweet, vanilla with woods without being cloying or overly-girly. It made me fall in love with the strawberry note again! I'm EAGER to try more Hanae perfumes! Fully Recommended!

I absolutely adore this fragrance. I doused myself in it during summer 2020 when I first discovered it. It's a better blended version of the OG flowerbomb and la vie est belle to my nose. The patchouli is present during the opening but quickly blends into the mid and base notes with ease while the toffee brings out the sweetness from the fruity/floral notes. The dry down is so yummy and is grounded amazingly with the vanilla, cedar wood, benzoin and sandalwood. It seems recommended for younger aged girls but I honestly think it's crowd pleasing enough to wear at any age. This perfume smells much more expensive than it is and I've found that it layers BEAUTIFULLY with Guerlain's Insolence EDT. So much so, that I don't enjoy wearing Insolence without Hanae. I will say that I haven't tried this in the winter yet but it held up amazingly during the summer and it wasn't cloying or overbearing at all. The sillage and longevity were excellent as well which added to it's appeal.

I'm absolutely in love with this! On first spray it smelt very caramel/vanilla-y, like a softer version of Prada’s Candy. After a few minutes the red berries come out strongly. I detect hardly a drop of floral in it, so I’m not sure how or why it was inspired by a tiny forest flower. To me this smells like a much softer version of Candy mixed with Dot by Marc Jacobs (probably because of the berries). The sweetness in Hanae is there, but it’s not as sharp and screechy as it is in those other perfumes. I think Flowerbomb and Hanae smell similar, but only because they have bases that smell similar. FB is much more floral while Hanae is more like Crème brulée with raspberries. Overall it is a very nice and soft fruity gourmand. I like that is very youthful and sweet without smelling too immature, which happens when I try to wear things like Pink Sugar or Dot (and I am only 19!). I am considering getting a full version.