Ave Maria

On the opening Ave Maria just smells like a fragrant white-floral infused Oolong tea to me. On the drydown it’s got a touch more of a sparkling white-flower and clean fruity sweetness, but still has that black tea note in the background. Don't sniff Ave Maria too closely the first time around--wait for it to really develop so you get the whole scent story. I really don't get much leather or wine--to me this is totally light and sweet (not to say without depth--what's reading to me as the tea note makes this genuinely so interesting). Which brings me to the listed notes, which totally puzzle me because to me Ave Maria is an endlessly fresh white floral and a hint of pear grounded in an aromatic tea (with the slightest hint of salt). She's sweet and pleasant, like a Jo Malone fragrance, but a lot more interesting. The longevity is also pretty great--the fragrance comes out slightly oily on the skin, which lends it very solid lasting power. It also probably goes without saying but the branding, packaging, and atomizer on this are stunning. I got a sample of La Mer with my order of Ave Maria, and I'm already plotting that as my next purchase. Casa Blanca from this house is also quite nice. Update: I sold my bottle. Though I still love Ave Maria, I think the fragrance is more beautiful as a creation than as a wearable fragrance. Let me try to explain. Ave Maria is truly gorgeous, but it somehow sits atop my skin rather than giving the illusion of emanating from within like my favorite fragrances do. It doesn't blend in with "me" but feels like something apart--a bit like when a dress looks beautiful flat on the hanger but then looks off when you put it on. Now that I think about it, this assessment holds true also for the four other scents I've sampled from this house. I've let my bottle go because while it's a creation I admire, I don't find myself reaching for it. I want fragrances to wear, not to admire on paper or on my shelf.

Absolutely in love! I missed the whole influencer trend talking about this so my opinion is entirely unswayed. I was at Blue Mercury to spray some perfumes on paper strips to bring home and this happened to be there. I was curious as I’m not familiar with House of Bo frags. The girl at the counter told me she could give me a sample of this because she loves this one. Unfortunately for me, I ended up loving it too and bought it expeditiously the next day. The opening is a like but not love for me. It’s a bit indolic and bitter upon first spray. For some reason the top notes stay on longer on my skin than on paper which is fine. I am in love with its development: Sweet, gentle, and elegant. It smells clean without the laundry feel. Very pure and sensual at the same time. Dry down is a skin scent but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s a privilege for those allowed to be close enough to the wearer to smell it. It’s as if you bathed in very luxurious bath oils and effortlessly perfumed without screaming for attention. A very romantic fragrance. I can see why this is a lot of people’s wedding perfume. I don’t think this is generic smelling. I had a white floral phase when I was younger and wore a lot of different kinds and this is subtly unique. Not blind buy safe. White floral haters stay away. This is unapologetically white floral all the way through in spite of all that makes it unique.

Ave Maria is beautiful, but not for the reasons many reviewers are saying. It's true that the top is a beautiful white floral, primarily gardenia with a hint of jasmine. It's lush, heady, and strong. Very clean and creamy. But the dry down is where the magic happens and where it stops being simply "white floral" to me. I clearly smell the wine, and it's oaky. And I clearly smell something animalic (I assume the leather). The gardenia and jasmine are still there, but they're very soft at this stage, just providing a bit of sweetness. And it lasts for hours. On clothes, forever. But at this stage it also sits far closer to the skin, whereas the opening is all big loud white floral. I think the reviewers saying Ave Maria is just a soapy white floral or that it's too loud are not allowing themselves to experience the dry down, because this is definitely not just loud soapy white floral. It's warm and cuddly and sweet. I also feel like the overwhelming "Spring" and "Summer" votes are because people are rating it too quickly before they get to the dry down, because the dry down feels far more seasonless to me. I think you could comfortably wear Ave Maria at any time of the year. That said, while I love the unique journey Ave Maria takes me on, I have never spent as much money on a full bottle as this costs. Not to say it's not worth it in general, but it's out of my price range.

I purchased Ave Maria the moment it was released, as I’m consistently impressed by the artistry of the House of Bo. Their craftsmanship is evident not just in the scent compositions, but in the thoughtful design of their 30ml bottles—complete with non-slip feet that add a touch of both elegance and practicality. While the fragrance is said to contain a red wine note, I personally don’t detect it. If anything, there’s a subtle nuance that leans more toward a crisp white wine, but the Merlot accord doesn’t emerge on my skin. Gardenia is my favorite flower, and since true gardenia oil cannot be extracted, perfumers typically recreate it using blends of white florals like jasmine. That said, the gardenia accord in Ave Maria is remarkably lifelike—lush, creamy, and strikingly true to nature. I find it absolutely captivating. There’s an undeniable sophistication to this fragrance that I think will truly shine on humid summer evenings. It has a sultry elegance that pairs beautifully with warm air and soft light—I can already tell I’ll be living in it once the temperatures climb.. My only critique lies in its potency. While many enjoy bold, room-filling fragrances, I tend to prefer a softer presence. With Ave Maria, I have to be very precise in application—anything more than two sprays can easily overwhelm the space. It’s a powerful composition, best worn with intention.

I was convinced I would never need another white floral fragrance until I smelled this. The first impression is this bright, airy freshness that instantly makes you think of clean skies after rain, but doesn’t smell watery or cold, but more pure and airy. It’s super delicate, but still noticeable in this elegant, floaty way. I personally don’t get any neroli but the gardenia is done beautifully, white floral perfection. Creamy, smooth, and completely refined. Not heavy or powdery, but radiant and classy. It gives the whole scent this graceful, angelic quality, like walking barefoot through a quiet, flower-filled chapel. Then the merlot note comes through, It’s not sweet or boozy, just this whisper of dry fruit that gives it depth and a subtle richness. Overall this is clean, feminine, and totally ethereal. It doesn’t try too hard—it just is. It’s the kind of scent that makes you feel effortlessly elegant, like you’ve got your life together even if you don’t.

At first i was worried that too many influencers were hyping this up because they may have been incentivized and though that maybbe true( not sure and dont care) i am getting nothing from making this review. I for one love it, i was scared with the wine note thinking it might smell like garbage (usually pinot grogio ) however, this is no average box wine. This is the GOOD STUFF kinda wine! I agree with other who say you gotta love florals, i am deff a white florals lover so its not hard for me to like this. There is a nostalgic feel about this scent, its giving me some vintage vibes however, not to be mistaken by your grandmas chanel N’5 type of vibes. Overall really impressed by this and enjoying it, im excited to keep sampling it, i personally havnt smelt anything that resembles this or at least i cant think of anything right now which makes me like it even more. will edit soon regarding its performance and longevity. Hoping its quiet beast :)

I really like this! I’m not sure if I’ll start to hate it because it’s so unique so I purchased a 10 ml with my 40 ml purchase of La Mar. If I end up making it through the travel sized bottle then I’ll buy a 40ml. It’s an incredibly heady dark feminine red wine perfume that opens with white florals in the background but then blooms into full on angelic white florals and neroli with the wine note taking a back seat. I know it says the wine is only the base note but this definitely opened with the wine note on my skin. Very “As Above,So Below” type vibe and I love how these two prominent notes juxtapose while working well together in taking turns to take center stage. The longevity is amazing! This is good for early equinox seasons’ days and summer nights. I love how heady both prominent notes are but it might be too much for me in the dead of July’s daytime heat and humidity.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had this much of an emotional roller coaster with a fragrance. Initial spray was awful. It smelled like extremely dry wine and it made me start coughing. I considered scrubbing it off but decided to wait for the dry down. That’s where the magic happened. It turned into an ethereal dewy white floral scent with just a hint of wine in the background which grounded the fragrance. The gardenia isn’t overpowering, rather a light, clean, and dewy gardenia. Gardenia is normally too strong for me, but this is so beautifully balanced that it doesn’t bother me. I love this fragrance. I can’t stop smelling my wrists. A beautiful piece of artwork. Feels very special. This is currently the top contender for my wedding day perfume. Just worried I’m going to have a coughing fit when I first spray it again.

This is an excellent, high quality fragrance. Ethereal and celebratory is what the house calls it, and I agree. It's very much a white floral with prominent gardenia, but the florals are rounded instead of sharp. That hint of floral sweetness and density reminds me of the style of Lauder's Beyond Paradise. Merlot, cashmere and a hint of leather provide a hint of spicy base for this scent, which seems to me to be slightly green as well. Sillage is average, which is great for me because it's more important that I can smell it, rather than others. It's also strong. One spray was sufficient to wear for 6 hours. I even swam for half an hour and found the scent still present! A hidden gem. Absolutely lovely.

I don't know why so many reviewers found an old woman in this fragrance, but be forewarned: she has a mean right hook. This scent packs a punch even through the packaging. But I /trust/ the woman this perfume describes. She is rich and classy. She owns a vineyard. She grows flowers. She likes all her clothes and doesn't mind having enemies. She has been outside and known the earth. She wears gold jewelry. She eats grapes off the stem. I hesitated in the face of her strength in the summer heat, and she took my hand, led me confidently into the drenching sunlight, and left me present, elegant, taking up space. This is not a mincing fragrance or a pass at playing forever young. This is powerful.

Lovely. Ethereal - floating on a breeze type scent. At the top it's very soft, floral - gardenia followed quickly by jasmine. In the mid notes the neroli comes through well, but keeps that softness in the "rain" notes. There is a continued comfort smell in the base, soft woodiness with the hint of wine underneath which complement each other so well, a slight sweetness but never overpowering. Beautiful. Like you're wrapped in a soft cashmere shawl in a flowing sundress sitting on your veranda with a glass of wine- it's a late spring day and all the flowers are in bloom - a light rain comes and goes leaving a fresh dewy-ness all around you. I love it.

Perfection. Simply beautiful. Perfection in a bottle. Ave Maria is the definition of refined elegance, light yet powerful, comforting yet uplifting. The composition feels effortless: a radiant opening that immediately captures attention, followed by a smooth, airy sophistication that lingers beautifully on the skin. It’s the kind of scent that turns heads without ever being overpowering. Feminine, graceful, and timeless, Ave Maria is truly a masterpiece. If I had to describe it in one word, it would simply be perfection. Like a 90s OG supermodel in jeans and a tee. Not trying too hard but is marvelous! Just wow.

I really didn’t want to love this one as much as I do, but alas, Ave Maria is gorgeous and everything I want in a perfume. If I had to pick notes to make my dream perfume this hits almost all of them. Heady floral petrichor, sophisticated and pretty, it’s stunning and I hate that I want a full bottle. The notes that come through the most for me are the jasmine and gardenia in the opening, then the rain, and finally it dries into a lovely warm oak. This is enjoying a light, velvety smooth glass of Merlot on a garden patio on a late spring/early summer evening while the rain from earlier in the day dries off.

This is pretty.. creamy white florals and a touch of wine. That’s really it. It’s blended well but I don’t get any of the other interesting notes. I like it and will definitely wear it on occasion, but I wouldn’t buy a full bottle.. even if it was half the price. Wearing this again and I can actually smell the rain note they were going for. It almost smells like wet gardenia petals and fresh air. Kind of like a damp, ozonic, white floral. I’m not picking up the wine at all anymore. Still pretty. Still not worth the price or a full bottle for me personally- but I appreciate it for what it is.

If I was a gorgeous water nymph, stepping out of a sparkling, crystal clear pond, this is what I would smell like. It's so good! I don't get leather at all, but the wine and gardenia are there and delicious. It's very much a summer scent, but I've been wearing it all winter trying to beat that seasonal depression. It's super unique IMO, not synthetic in the slightest, just an aquatic floral that I could 110% see being somebody's wedding perfume. Longevity is also great, HOB can be a little hit (la mar) or miss (rosario - but still smells good) in regards to longevity.

As a white floral lover, specially Jasmine and gardenia this fragrance had me swooning. Upon initial spray, I definitely pick up on the wine . On me, the wine note is very short-lived. It lasts about a minute or two then I’m left with the most beautiful mix of white florals. I don’t pick up much on the neroli thank God because it’s not my favorite, but I definitely get this beautiful mix of gardenia Jasmine and orange blossom? It is creamy comforting, but fresh at the same time perfect for the upcoming seasons, this is a must buy for me along with Rosario.

I put this next to symphony, and this blows it out of the water with symphony, like this is so pretty!!!! I get the wine note is pretty loud at the beginning, but don't let that deter you because an hour in you will get the most beautiful smell of white florals that is honestly so so so stunning, and so unique, I love this fragrance down like if I had to throw away everything else and only pick one, I'd pick this it's so beautiful. The other day the lady standing next to me said she wished she could stay next to me all day just to smell me haha

Smells in the same vein as Chanel Gabrielle (Essence or Parfum). Beautiful, yet not groundbreaking. Sillage is average, leaning skin scent. Longevity is good, lingering for over 6hrs on my skin. The “wine” accord, alongside the oakwood and leather, is vaguely reminiscent of Hermes Barenia. However, it does not smell leathery nor boozy. It’s a white floral through and through. As much as I understand this is beautiful, for the price it’s being sold, I’d perhaps consider Gabrielle Essence over this one.

I wasnt expecting to like this one as much as I did after reading reviews, but this is such a well balanced fragrance. Creamy white florals with some depth from the wood notes and possibly the wine. I honestly don’t pick up on the wine or pear that much, which is a shame because it sounds like it would’ve been an interesting combo. It smells wonderful on sun-warmed skin, very clear and clean and breezy. Packs a punch, with decent projection that could be cloying if you’re sensitive to white florals

As someone who does NOT like gardenia in fragrances, I LOVE this scent. It's actually converted me into a gardenia lover- that's how well done this is. And it is definitely gardenia forward, but there is something so warm and soothing in the dry-down. Ave Maria is the creamiest most comforting gardenia fragrance I've ever smelled. It is sophisticated and gives you a nice scent bubble. My favorite house of bo fragrance was always Rosario but now it's tied with Ave Maria.

Gorgeous creamy white floral, another one to add to the Perfect Bridal fragrance list. White creamy gardenia is the star in here. I usually don’t like Neroli much as it pulls slightly masculine on my skin, but here it’s really balanced to perfection, adding just enough freshness from gardenia turning headachy. It’s clean, fresh, effortlessly beautiful and feminine like a bride. It’s in my top white florals now along with Amouage Honour 43.

I blind bought this as soon as it was available. This is not just a perfume; it's an experience. When I wear this, I truly feel like a water fairy drinking wine with my fairy friends. I am usually a freshie girl, so to me this projects and lasts a long time, especially on clothing. This would be a wonderful wedding scent, or one to take on a beach vacation to wear out to dinner. And can we please talk about the bottle?! Love....

This is a fresh floral fragrance I did not expect to like as much as I do. I got this as a sample and fear I may have to buy a bottle! It is on my shirt this am from spraying it last night. The dry down is beautiful. It is soapy and fresh. For me it's like getting out of a soapy bath and putting on a warm roan fresh out of the laundry. So pretty. So expensive!!

Such a classy fragrance with an "old money" feel! I tend to avoid fragrances with a leather note, but I am glad I took a chance on this one. I get the slightest hint of leather that makes the fragrance more interesting. It is not a strong note at all, thank goodness! My go-to when I want to feel sophisticated, put together, and luxurious.

Sophisticated, creamy white florals with a hint of wine. Well blended. I adore gardenia, so this is a hit for me. I disagree with others that this is "mature" or outdated; to me this smells pretty, youthful, elegant, and romantic. I will note that the full bottle seems to smell and perform better than the sample.

This reminds me of Valaya Exclusif but the opening of Ave Maria is sweeter. I understand the wine note may be disappointing to some, but I’m into it. Fragrance is personal and I’m not going to say everyone should love this, but I do. Very long lasting but I do wish the sillage was stronger.

Longest lasting perfume I own! I’m one who loves this, especially on skin! It has a tuberose scent to me. But a more mature (not too mature) floral sweetness. On their site it says it has leather, but I don’t smell leather. I only need one spray and it lasts 8+ hours!

I tried this while at blue mercury and couldn’t stop coming back to it. As soon as I saw it was on sale from the house of Bo I leapt. It’s everything I love but it doesn’t fade as quickly . Watery florals in a damp forest floor. Absolute perfection.

Like beams of sunlight twinkling in your living room while you sit in a light colored leather couch. It’s sweet and bright upon first spray. Luxurious as well, it smells expensive. The merlot wine is in the background just for a touch of dimension.

Reminds me of having tea next to a blooming pond in a garden. Watery, floral goodness. It’s like what Tears by Regime de Fleurs is supposed to smell like to me based on people’s descriptions. Sprayed it at 7 am and it’s still going strong at 2 pm.

This reminds me so much of Wild Child from pinrose It's a beautiful dewey gardenia fragrance that doesn't smell indolic Scent bird now carries it if anyone is interested

I absolutely love this fragrance so beautiful! Very white floral but great for anyone to wear! Love, Love, Love! I’m a gardenia woman it was in my wedding bouquet!

Beautiful, airy floral. I couldn't figure out what was different and it's the red wine note...I can really pick it up. I love this one!

Omg, so good. Quietly sensual. Cozy without gourmand. Subtle and grounded. Gives “I got you” vibes. Heavenly,

This is gardenia done now I like it! Such a gorgeous white floral. With great longevity and protection 😍

Soft, wonderful light florals and red wine. This one has been long lasting on me, which I appreciate.

First, let me clarify that this is a fruity floral. This isn’t one of your usual ethereal, snow-white floral scents (although the name might suggest that). It starts with a fruity sweetness (pear) and gardenia. There's also a clearly distinguishable wine note. The wine here is like a rich red merlot or syrah- neither bitter nor dry, more like a semi-sweet wine. The gardenia grows stronger over time and lingers for hours along with neroli. So, it's not a pure gardenia scent; it has a companion and that neroli companion makes it perfect for summer use. Although I’m not usually into fruity types, as a wine lover, I liked this scent. It managed to stay on me for a long time. It's a joyful, festive perfume that I’ll prefer during spring and summer. Update (5 months later ~Winter) I’ve reached for this bottle almost every single week. It’s lactonic, creamy, luxurious, lightly sweet, and utterly beautiful as a gardenia scent. Everything I wrote above still holds true; those were my first impressions, and they remain accurate. The only thing that changed is my perception of how lactonic it really is; in colder weather, that creamy facet becomes even more enchanting and more comforting. It has officially entered my Top 10. Tag(s): fruity floral, uplifting, wine, lactonic, creamy, luxurious

Got this in a discovery set and wasn't expecting to like this one. I'm not a floral girlie and my nose loves to find leather notes which sucks because they tend to give me a head ache. Well I was very pleasantly surprised here. First of all, I didn't pick up the leather note at all which I was grateful for. For a floral perfume, this was very nice. I think the dewy gardenia in the top notes plus rain drops in the middle gave this a freshie aquatic vibe behind the florals which I quite liked. This would make for a great scent during spring and summer nights. It would be a lovely wedding scent. Despite how much I liked it for a floral fragrance, I'm not likely to buy a bottle as I just don't see myself reaching for this over other scents that are more my preference. With that said, I decided I'm going to set the remainder of this sample aside in case I have a perfect event to wear it to and work on the other scents from this discovery set and other sets I purchases. Still I rated this so well because despite not being my typical fragrance, I throughly enjoyed wearing it.

Ohhhhh I was so excited about these notes. I was fully prepared for an opulent journey — in my head, the composition took me straight to a European courtyard after a soft rain. And honestly, it’s not bad at all. The gardenia here is the most beautiful, realistic wet gardenia blossom I’ve ever smelled. I get the jasmine, the neroli, and that creamy cashmeran glow. But for me, the depth just isn’t there. I kept waiting for it to open up into something richer or more dimensional. The opening had me excited because I could see where it might go... but the heart settled into something more linear than I hoped for. Once I recovered from the initial gardenia bloom, I could smell that “rain‐washed” effect — soft, creamy, ethereal — but I still wished the mid or base had a little more presence. This is absolutely the perfect wedding fragrance: pretty, elegant, ethereal, mass‐appealing, and beautifully blended. It’s just a overtly white floral and linear for what I personally look for.

I wanted to love this because of the beautiful bottle, but it's just a like. It opens with a sparkly effervescent gardenia which was promising, but quickly turned into a generic department store perfume counter white floral. It's still a little more elevated than a designer perfume, but not dramatically sophisticated like I expected it to be. Maybe I hyped it up too much in my head after all the reviews. It stays pretty sharp for ~4 hours, and then it dried down to something softer which I like. It started to remind me of Tom Ford's Soleil Neige at around hour 6-8, which is one of my favorite creamy chic elegant scents. But I'd rather wear Soleil Neige instead of a full bottle of Ave Maria. I might give it another chance- I could see it being a great scent for a farmer's market or a stroll in the park, botanical garden in a summer dress kinda vibe.

When I was growing up in the early 2000’s, my mom would often receive beauty magazines and catalogues in the mail that had a bunch of paper slip perfume samples inside them. I was obsessed with perfumes from an early age, so she’d give the samples to me, and I’d rub them all over myself. I knew nothing about them other than that they smelled good and flowery (they were all department store perfumes marketed toward women). Ave Maria smells so nostalgic to me because it smells like all those perfume samples mixed together in the best way possible. You could smell all the perfumes just by picking up the magazine sometimes. That is Ave Maria to me. I like it, but it’s not a $195–$365 like, nonetheless a $250–$370 like. That’s fine with me though; it wasn’t made for me.

This is a pretty straightforward frag where gardenia takes center stage, with neroli playing a supporting role keeping the scent from getting too cloying. It’s an incredible gardenia- creamy, full, and feminine- but it doesn’t quite live up to the marketing copy depicting it as some ethereal divine feminine frag. I had this on my “to test” list for ages since I’m a white florals apologist and red wine is one of my favorite accords in perfumery. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I try, I can’t pick up on anything remotely wine-y! tl;dr lovely white floral fragrance, just don’t get too bamboozled by the marketing. DEFINITELY not worth three hundred and fifty United States dollars for a FB.

This is a soft, dewy, slightly sweet white floral. Is it ground breaking? No...but it is very pretty. I usually HATE leather in fragrance, but my nose doesn't really detect it in Ave María. It's well blended and imo inoffensive (not screechy) white floral. I may upgrade my sample for a full sized bottle if I can get it at a discount. The notes are actually as follows: Top- Dewy Gardenia, Cashmere, Indonesian Jasmine Mid-African Neroli, Rain Drops, Sweet Pear Base-Merlot Wine Accord, Oakwood, Napa Leather

First impressions: (sample) Got this free random sample from one of my purchases on Mercari. I definitely pick up on the wine note but then it’s kind of smells like an older lady who’s on a date night and she’s getting tipsy, with her makeup done and everything. I kind of like it. Edit 1: It dries to be more of a creamy gardenia soap I think. I’m usually a hater of neroli, but the neroli in here I’m not mad at. I have more white florals that I’m in love though.

My introduction to the house, and what a high note to start on. Maybe it's the tulips everywhere around me right now making me want to smell honey in florals, but this really comes out as a realistic honeysuckle on me and I quite like it. With just a bit more nuance or wetness this would be a love, maybe that's a dig on the juice or maybe I should moisturize more. An ideal after shower scent, especially if you like evening showers.

Must love white flowers to enjoy Ave Maria. I love gardenia, but so many gardenia scents fall short—too screechy, too vintage, or just flat. Ave María is a sparkling fruity-floral that, while not groundbreaking, is undeniably pleasant—smooth, creamy, and radiant. The gardenia is softened by pear and a hint of neroli, giving it a fresh, juicy edge without ever turning sharp. It actually reminds me of fizzy white sangria!

I imagine walking through a field of white flowers and sun rays hitting my face. It’s a white floral, luxurious, extremely feminine scent. Little goes a long way. Not blind buy safe though.. you MUST love florals. There is the strong wine note that lingers for about 15 minutes until the dry down on my skin. Settles into a very nice garden vibe. Spring and summer only. Cooler months this will be over powering.

I’m fairly new to fragrance, and I do, now, believe that our “nose” can change the more we try different fragrances. I got a sample size of this about a year ago. Initially, I would’ve given it a poor rating. I don’t consider myself a floral lover and this felt VERY floral. Today, I’m wearing it again. It’s not a love but I have enjoyed it. It’s warm today and this feels fresh and spring like.

Must love white flowers to enjoy Ave Maria. I love gardenia, but so many gardenia scents fall short—too screechy, too vintage, or just flat. Ave María is a sparkling fruity-floral that, while not groundbreaking, is undeniably pleasant. A smooth, creamy, and simple composition. It kind of reminds me of fizzy white sangria! Samples available at Nectar Atelier.

I am a fan of HOB. This is a lovely fragrance but you have to like gardenia which I do because it reminds me of my mother...but I'm not sure I like it on me. I think i will keep this or at least hold onto it for now as i get the pear and the wine notes which make it more unique than just another simple floral. But gardenia is the main body of this fragrance.