A Scent by Issey Miyake

a scent opens very green and floral. The hyacinth and galbanum are quite present in the first hour of the fragrance, reminding me of a less austere, haughty version of the fabulous Chanel N°19 EDT. I also smell some lily-of-the-valley in those first hours. It conjures up images of mountains. Crisp air and icecold streamlets, flowers growing between the rocks. Some time later, a scent turns quite soapy, a little harsh even. When that distinct soapy note, that I don't like that much, is gone, a beautiful, slightly spicy powdery, green accord appears, lasting well into the drydown. Oh how I love that drydown, it is so feminine and refined. I don't really smell anything citrussy, no lemon and no lemon verbena, but that's fine by me, I don't really like prominent citrusfragrances. a scent has good longevity; a single spray lasts more than six hours, but I do have to hold my nose close to my arm. I can imaging a scent to be a wonderful fragrance for spring, but now that autumn lies heavy on this land, a scent fits the icy, crisp mornings and the grey overcast skies equally perfect. The bottle of a scent is absolutely gorgeous. Robust and heavy, but very attractive.

My sister gave this perfume to me because she didn't like it, and I am so grateful as I would not have otherwise purchased it based on the notes and reviews it has. On my skin it's just so perfect and I don't normally like green, fresh scents, quite the contrary. But this one is so beautifully elegant, crisp, delicate and complex. It's smells sophisticated and dreamy. The acidity and sharpness of the citric elements are so well balanced, it feels like something green wrapped in a white floral velvet ganache like a delicious lemon balm panna cota, with just enough earthiness not to weigh it down. I have never been to Japan so I don't know how the mountains there feel like, for me this is like a spring morning after rain in a beautiful green garden. It reminds me of Diorella, the original version, but modern and more subdued without being less awesome. It has incredible longevity and range compared to my other perfumes (to me it's in the same class of quality as pre - 2000 formulations, it delivers soll much more than a nose catching intro). My skin is in love with this. You might like this if you are on the winter or spring color spectrum.

Holy basil ... is that Clairol Herbal Essence shampoo circa 1975 I smell? This is a really cool fragrance. Too bad I've only discovered this gem after it's decommission. Shucks. Issey Miyake A Scent (2009) is a pure offering of Zen freshness great for the hottest day. The stoic Buddha in the garden this simple scent remains true from spritz one to lingering end. The verbena plays up the waxy lemon reminiscent of the lemonhead candy I loved as a kid. This perfume literally makes my mouth water. It's not only about the citrus though. Pay close attention and you might find a whisper of spearmint brightening up the crushed tomatoes leaves others have mentioned. The hyacinth is lovely as well. A perfect blend of purple and green. A Scent is not overly sweet and has just enough silage to elicit compliments. More fresh than sexy, I tend to wear this fragrance just for me, it helps me to achieve focus. A Scent has a definite spiritual quality perfect for either quiet contemplation or elegant motion. This is THE fragrance I'd wear to the gym, ballet, fencing or yoga class. That is if I actually did any of that really cool stuff.

This little gem is getting harder and harder to find! It's a classic nouveau oriental, the likes of which I have never found in another fragrance. One of the midwives who helped deliver my first baby wore this scent and even in my birth induced hell, I recognised it as an individual fantastical scent and I needed to know WHAT IT WAS! For years I coveted it and searched everywhere for a bottle. Until finally after years of asking various fragrance stores if they had any in stock, a shopper at a store told me she had one in her own shop and boom, there it was! You only need a very small amount of this wonder in a bottle, it is STRONG! I gave my mother an asthma attack in the car once from being a little too liberal with my application. All in all, this one is hard to describe because it is just so damned individual. It is soooo much better than Issey Miyake's later fragrance in its conicle shaped form, most people don't even know about this one, but if you can get your hands on a bottle, I dare say you will become a cult follower just as I have!

This is the fragrance of melting snow, making it a perfect fragrance for spring (and ultra cooling in summer!). It absolutely sparkles with the brightness of jasmine. On my skin jasmine is sometimes too sharp but the fresh sweetness of the hyacinth note seems to mellow the jasmine by softening its sharp edges. Cedar gives the sense of crisp, clear forest air at high altitude while the lemon verbena provides a cozy, clean warmth that keeps the cedar from seeming too remote. Galbanum contributes the deep earthy smell of the the ground beginning to thaw after winter's last freeze. I don't sense lemon but I believe it functions like a bit of salt in cooking by enhancing the whole mix without really being noticed. Fresh, sparkling and energizing. Also makes me think of standing barefoot in the cool water of a stream on a hot summer day or the slightly sweet taste of water just hand-pumped from a well. A very energizing fragrance that lasts 4-6 hours on my skin. Definitely full bottle-worthy.

I rolled the dice on this scent as a blind buy, and I can say I'm glad I did. This scent asks a question "What would a Chypre scent smell like without a high dose of oakmoss and patchouli"? The answer is that you get a delightful fresh scent that has the earthy bite of a Chypre without the fear of suffocation in high temperatures. If you're a fan of Chypres in the colder months, give this a try for spring and summer. I'd also say this is worth a try if you're a fan of CK One, and you'd like a change. You trade some sweet citrus for herbal citrus and stems. If there were a negative comment for me to make, it would be that compared to my other big scent for this summer (Gucci Bloom Eau de Toilette) this scent lacks a little bit of smoothness to the freshness that does make it a little harder to wear to work. I can see A Scent being better for long walks and high energy days, and Bloom Toilette being better for calmer ones. This is entirely person to me of course. Love it to bits.

This is a gorgeous floral green perfume that is frequently misjudged because of its strong head notes. The top notes are jasmine (green), hyacinth (green) and verbena (also green!). On the heart, the flowers and the verbena remain for a very long time, and a note of galbanum (another green one!) appears. This note stays up to the very end, along with a lovely touch of cedar. I really don't get any lemon in this fragrance. The perfume has lots of green and woody notes, but is still very feminine. I have to wait almost 20 minutes for the strong top notes settle down (I really don't mind, because I love these notes!) and then I get the feeling of walking through a verdant forest on an early autumn or spring day, right after a heavy rain. It gives me a very peaceful and relaxing feeling. To top it all, the simple and clean bottle is just beautiful and insinuates perfectly what's inside. A great scent for summer, spring and even cold or rainy days, very versatile!

Some of the negative reviews on here encouraged me to buy this: grassy, dewy, floral... citrus but rather creamy, not sour. I am a seeker of fresh scents which are not overly citrusy or sour. I am very happy to say I've just found one more to add on my treasure list. A scent by Issey Miyake opens up very unisex. At first there are lemon notes and airy cool freshness, not marine or cucumbery. At first I wasn't sure if I was going to like it but I found it very intriguing, especially the sense of cool air and spaciousness. Luckily the citruses are mainly lemon verbena, which has this creaminess to it and which also can make the scent a bit similar to a good quality bathroom cleaner, which I know doesn't sound very positive, but strangely it doesn't bother me at all, because it's so pleasant. Then it turns into a more flowery fragrance, but it's the kind of green, herby, dewy flower garden - it becomes quite feminine, but it's more Artemis than Aphrodite 🙂

This is one of the rare 'fumes that even the stickiest summer heath can't smother. And that is quite an accomplishment. I hate complaining, but last few summers were a torture. And you can't wash yourself or change clothes as much as you need to. Gross or not, I'll take any help I can get. So I have developed quite an interest and respect for colognes and few freshies. A Scent is supposed to be discontinued for years, yet I keep buying new bottles cheaply and without much fuss. Not that I'm complaining. The opening is the most interesting part, green, aromatic with perfect amount of citrus. I know this is supposed to be about verbena, yet I smell mint. The dry down is still as green but muskier than I would like, but on me it appears endless. There is a meditative calmness and airy quality about it. I might not be crazy about it, but I do appreciate it and, honestly, it's lovely. My backup bottles have backup bottles.

Love it. One sniff and I'm taken back to childhood. It's end of summer in northern California, where I grew up. The sun has set and I can hear the chorus of creek frogs growing louder, as the crickets begin to chirp. The early night is cool and balmy, and the sweet, dewy fragrance of star jasmine wafts through the backyard screen door. All is well, and I am safe - not a worry to be had. My brother and I decided to play catch on the slightly wet lawn, giant oak trees overhead - damp earth underfoot. This fragrance makes my heart light. But also ache. Gorgeous dry down (can be a bit urinal cakey at the beginning, but that quickly fades). Herbal scents work very well with my chemistry, so this one definitely shines. Clean, fresh, therapeutic, chic. Could easily be worn by men as well. Sad to hear it's been discontinued, but luckily I've got a big bottle!

I used to wear this a lot when it was just released, and then forgot about it for a while. Now that I repurchased, I am completely in love again! I think this perfume might not be for all, especially not for committed gourmand lovers. The perfume opens with an airy green note, which is a bit sharp combined with the citrus. However, the flowers soften the greenness just enough to make it a little easier on the nose. Then it reveals the hyacinth and other flowers. The hyacinth smells very true to life, as if you have one right next to you on the table. Together, the green notes, the flowers and the cedar blend in to that energizing vibe of taking a walk in the woods just after it has rained and the sun is starting to shine again: optimistic and airy freshness and a sweet woody breath from the trees. Absolutely lovely and uplifting!

When I read that it has a likeness to Chanel Cristalle I immediately ordered 2x 30ml EDT bottles. My thirsty skin wants an EDP. Pity. Sprayed it on paper and on my skin. On paper the lemon verbena lingers. Rather loved the pungent notes on paper. On my skin it went incredibly soft incredibly quickly. I truly like it but suspect I'll need to buy a good few bottles as I'll have to douse myself in this 4x a day if I want to fully appreciate this pretty fragrance. The pink version in EDP got fair reviews so must try that too.is This is a limited edition. I have just found a 100ml EDT and immediately purchased that. I need to stock up as this will be my spring frag once our winter leaves. It's got surprisingly good staying power for such a soft fragrance.

Sucha stunner for spring. If this fragrance were a color it would be bright green! So refreshing and excellent for the heat of summer. I am so glad I have this, it was hidden in the back of some other fragrances and I thought let me pull this one out. It’s a fresh citrus and I’m getting mint but there isn’t any in here could be the lemon verbena. I feel this would work great day or evening especially during those humid nights of summer. this reminds me of new grass growing in the yard on a spring night or after the rain with the new blooms in the garden. This steers away from the usual gourmands or florals that everyone is so into recently. I believe it is discontinued (like everything that’s good 😖) correct me if I am wrong. Highly recommended 10/10

This is the perfect fresh, clean, green scent in my opinion. It is very refreshing, and I love wearing this in the heat of summer, but it works just as well on a cold, rainy spring or fall day. I don't tend to let seasons dictate when I enjoy fragrances, so I really like to wear this any time of the year. It is great to wear to work, and I always have someone tell me I smell good. The other day when I wore it to the grocery store another shopper asked me what I was wearing. I also can't believe how long it lasts! I live in a very dry climate, so my skin tends to devour fragrances in no time, but this one stuck around for several hours and I could still smell it on myself at the end of the day. I love it!

As far as I know this perfume has been discontinued where I am in Asia, which is a terrible pity. I've had this for a while but had too many bottles. Now I've finally got round to it, it's been such a beautiful blast of hyacinth and bamboo? that I used it everyday and didn't get sick of it, which is a surprise for me. Couldn't stop sniffing myself! Initially thought it was one of those soapy unisex scents but it's really not. The floral blast in it sealed it for me as a feminine fragrance. I usually have several different fragrances to cater to my mood for the day, so this is my current green floral fix. Longevity is also quite good to me as well as sillage. Lasted more than 2 hours on me.

To me, Issey Miyake's A Scent reminds me of the Kanha Forests of India rich with Sal trees! It is fresh, green, crisp, with just the right touch of floral notes! I love this fragrance and the first time I used it, my college roommate, who was on the phone, stopped her conversation just to compliment me on the perfume! I have received compliments from my girl friends & guy friends every time I have used it! I would recommend this perfume if you like green fragrances that are a little different with the right amount of florals. Sadly though, it does not last long. It stays for maximum 3 hours on me! That is such a disappointing factor...

I realise this is a weird pick as one of my "all time favourites" but... I really love it! It's an unassuming green floral in the classical manner, given a modern twist by the simple, spare beauty of it's construction. Nobody is better than Daphne Bugey at capturing an idea in it's essence (Kenzo Amour, She Wood), and this, I believe, is her masterpiece. Imagine lemon-verbena, with it's smiling, earthy freshness, billowing into a complex little green gem, halfway between Cristalle and the air of a florist's shop. That's what A Scent is to me, and I would wear it in an instant, if I could only find a bottle -_-

Never have I encountered something like this. Once the jasmine touches you its over, you will seek it for life, you will never forget this scent ever. Some scents want you to become something, represent something, but this one is above and beyond all that, just teleports you, far away among hills, freshly cut grass, where life is full, nature is breezy, and everything is good, a meaningful scent that enshrines in your memory as a valued possession, a sacred one. Unforgettable. Issey Miyake, I beg of you, please release this to the world again.

A relative recently reviewed this fragrance. As you saw she really dislike it and on her it was bad,but not that bad in my opinion. When I tried it was a ok fragrance.I really love lemon,verbena,bergamot,grapefruit and so on...With white fresh flowers,virginia cedar.But the lemon its way to dark,not the bright sparkling citrus!The flowers is heavy and boring and way to much of them no virginia cedar. And thats it! Heavy lemon heavy flowers! Well after 20-30 minutes itis much better. In the future I maybe buy it again...

My new favourite fragrance! I love the fresh, soft, green, clean, simple yet elegant composition, it's not too flowery, not too grassy, not sharp or zesty, it's classic Miyake in a beautiful bottle. Definitely more of a daytime spring/summer fragrance but I wear this all year round, it has great staying power for a subtle, edt strength scent. A pity it is being discontinued and is therefore now available in high street drug stores at a much lower price point. I have stocked up!