Menthe Fraiche

Scent wise top notch, easily the best green tea note I have smelt to date and I've smelled and bought a few, I love tea in frags in both black and green variants. The mint top notes plus citrus are really really good too. The tea and citrus does stick around longer than the mint (and gives a nice Rhubarb vibe with the faded mint on top) and is great but unfortunately not long lasting at all, about 1hr good projection and then a few hours in skin scent territory. Guerlain Herba Fresca is somewhat close to it testing side by side and although the Heeley does smell a little cleaner and its citrus is more natural and a little sweeter I would much rather buy Herba Fresca given it is 1/3 of the price. You can top up a spray when it starts to fade and it still would be less overall cost by a large chunk. HF's mint also stays around for it's entire wearing but is more grass and mint to the simple fresh natural mint of the Heeley if that is what you are after. That Rhubarb and Green Tea vibe in the Heeley dry down is pretty special though so if cost is no option I wouldn't hesitate to grab it. As a side note Amouage Beach Hut has an excellent natural mint smell to it, but it strong and quite linear. If you want to have that smell projecting heavy for a long time that is one to go for (it was too much and too literal for me). edit: I ended up getting a FB of Menthe Fraiche in a small sale, its just too damn good a scent to pass up.

Best mint scent ever! Nice watery green spearmint with a hint of green tea in the background. Yes, there are some woods at the base and some florals far on the background, but green spearmint is the major note!!! This is spearmint done to perfection, I must have tried 10-12 different mint-themed fragrances and I can attest this is by far the best. The tricky part is to have a pronounced mint note but not to make it smell like toothpaste. Menthe Fraiche accomplishes just that: the mint is so real that it almost feels like you just bathed in Moroccan Mint iced tea :) Surprisingly good performance too (5-6 hours of active projection) with longevity going into 8-10 hours (skin scent at the end). By no means it is a beast in projection. This is not a very intense but rather light, uplifting and very inoffensive but noticeable, likable scent! Very refreshing and great hot weather alternative to citrus based freshes. If you like what I am describing, this fragrance is a safe blind buy! It is worth every penny and no other scent is even close if you look at the list what it is compared to, none of them is remotely near Menthe-Fraiche!!!.

I'd heard about this fragrance a long time ago but I never had a chance to try it because Heeley does not have any sales point here in Brazil as far as I know. After receiving a 2ml samble finally I could try it and confirm what some of my friends used to say about this wonderful perfume. Some say that this perfume smells like smint toothpaste or mint gum what for me is absolutely ridiculous because this perfumes smells MINT, a very good and soft mint by the way. I think this is a very unique scent, worthy of consideration by people who really like simple, fresh fragrances and don't mind mint/sweetness. Projection/longevity are lacking, but you can always wear more, or put unscented lotion on your skin right before spraying. But for what it's lacking in those areas, it definitely makes up for in quality of scent. This is unbelievable, and definitely without a doubt will be my #1 summer daily-wear scent as soon as I have a chance to buy it. Fabulous and refreshing!!! Perfect perfume for Summer!!!

I'm going crazy over this! This scent is fabulous and so addictive. Not kitschy nor old-fashion, very unisex, fresh, clean, uplifting. Real work of art. Nostalgia in a bottle. Reminds me a tiny bit of a room mist scent. After 30 mins, mint transforms into green tea and green citrus. This is considered unisex but I would call it genderless. It doesn't smell flowery feminine nor woody masculine; not a single note in here is characteristic of women's or men's scents. Longevity is rather short, after an hour/hour and a half it barely smells on my wrist or clothes. The quality of the scent is so good that it doesn't even bother me to spray some more in the afternoon. According to other reviews I thought this would be more mentholy and "cold"-smelling, but the tea and citrus notes make it smell yellow-green, not mint/darker green scent. I give this a good 8/10, -1 for its longevity and -1 for the tea note that kind of steals the show after a while: the mint note deserved a longer life.

James Heeley makes elegant, subtle perfumes - Menthe Fraiche is no exception. This is undoubtedly the most natural and authentic mint fragrance on the market, but it seems that maintaining that authenticity comes at a cost: longevity and projection are minimal. I'm lucky if I get 2-3 hours out of this one. This fragrance, to me, is almost a perfect olfactory representation of mint tea on ice. It is both chilly (the menthol effect inherent in mint) and green (like dewy grass or fresh green tea leaves). Like others in the Heeley line (Sel Marin, Iris de Nuit, etc), it clearly prizes subtlety above all other virtues. If you are inclined to seek out fragrances that whisper rather than shout, you really should explore the Heeley line. I really like his fragrances, but none are truly must-own. They're just a bit too quiet. Also, they were more reasonably priced prior to the 2011-12 price increases.

A glass of frozen mojito: realistic fresh mint with lime juice and a hint of alcohol. I think Menthe Fraiche performs better in hot weather (above 26°C). It's like a gust of breeze that can lower the temperature. All the ingredients smell more natural and well-blended. However, when I wore it during cold weather, the scent turned synthetic and pungent. I am a great lover of minty fragrances. For me, this is the best mint scent I've ever encountered. It doesn't remind me of toothpaste, mouthwash, or peppermint drops. It seems that many people compare this with Herba Fresca by Guerlain or You Or Someone Like You. In my opinion, Herba Fresca contains more floral and musk during the dry down. The longevity is much weaker than Menthe Fraiche. You Or Someone Like You is less citrusy than Menthe Fraiche, with the green note primarily provided by anise.

The most straightforward mint-dominant perfume. A photorealistic mint! It really smells like taking a mint leaf, slapping it with your hands, and smelling your palm. Mint-dominant aromatic green frags are usually associated with the warmer seasons but I find the depth and spice of Menthe Fraiche to transition it well into the winter days. The spicy and clearing-of-the-nostrils factor of the mint dies down quickly to leave a soothing and relaxing aroma like a eucalyptus room spray or candle. This is a big love for me. p.s. I find this to be similar, yet much more superior to Herba Fresca from Guerlain. Herba Fresca quickly turns sour and rubbery on my skin and doesn't project, but Menthe Fraiche does smell similar on the skin to the blotter and projects big.

I had gotten in on a split of this juice and it wasn't what the hype says. This is a good mint fragrance but other than that it lacks projection and longevity. I had to use between 7-10 sprays just to get longer than a couple of hours. I enjoy another scent that lacks longevity called D&G The One but I don't feel bad picking that up for $50 compared to this being $185. I much prefer Geranium Pour Monsiuer to this. Smells better and lasts about 6-7 hours on skin. My rating for this would be a 6/10. I think it is blended well but at the end of the day, buy Roadster or Le Male to get your minty jollies other than this. Better performance and it won't hurt your wallet like this will.

I find the reviews on this one quite interesting. I placed a luckyscent order and requested samples that feel calming. I listed mint as the only note I’m averse to and... they packed this. At first I was completely shocked they would pack a fragrance where mint REALLY acted as the dominant note, but I finally started to understand it. To me, this fragrance feels like sipping on mint tea (the expensive loose leaf kind) on a rainy day off. It has quickly turned into one of my most craved fragrances on gloomy days when I’m feeling homesick. Not sure if I’d wear it enough to justify purchasing a whole bottle, but I definitely feel that this converted me as a previous mint hater.

Menthe Fraiche by James Heeley is my go-to effortless chic scent because it is so universally pleasing to wear in all seasons and all occasions! This has an androgynous sex appeal and caters to both men and women with its fresh crushed spearmint, zesty bergamot, and spicy black pepper top notes. This dries down to a very refreshing minty green tea and soft cedar base. This fragrance is never overwhelming and people are constantly saying to me, “You smell so good! What is that!? I really like it!”. I sincerely hope that Mr. Heeley branches his fragrances out to create a body care line because I would love to have this scent as a body wash! Amazingly fresh!

Heeley Menthe Fraiche (2006) - mint tea - Creations by #jamesheeley are excellent perfumes in their simplicity, creativity and execution. A mint-forward execution, yet it doesn’t go into mouthwash territory retaining the herbal and crisp qualities of Mint. To compliment this fresh quality, he accentuates the greeness by adding Green Tea with a wonderful transition with a white floral accord, complimenting the natural floral nuances of Green tea. I get salinity, bitterness, sweetness and creaminess. The drydown retains the floral-tea quality on a cedar backbone. Very thoughtful in his execution with each transition complimenting the next. Excellent

Menthe Fraiche is a calming, natural-smelling mint. Just a touch of floral, tea and citrus steers it away from medicinal or toothpaste territory. Mint is definitely the star, and MF has elements of the whole mint plant - leaf, stem and a little hint of earth. Gorgeous, amazing blend. Wears like a true perfume, not a novelty scent. It's linear, simple and sheer, but still interesting and unique. It sits close but has good staying power, especially for a minty formula. On my skin the drydown skewed a little masculine and my husband ended up with most of my FB. It's his favorite warm weather pick and he always gets compliments on it.

The best mint fragrance you can buy. Menthe Fraiche is a cool, clean blast of pure spearmint over a base of light, white green tea. This is one of the most refreshing scents I own and something I look forward to wearing every spring. Projection is very good and I get pretty good longevity from it as well, about 8 hours. Just think refreshing, clean, semi-sweet natural spearmint, crisp and cooling and you'll have a good idea of Menthe Fraiche. If you're in the market for a mint fragrance, look no further. Best for casual daily wear in the warmer months. Thumbs up and recommended as a blind buy.

I understand why some may not like this scent and associate it to mouthwash, toothpaste or room freshener, but I absolutely like it. It's a wonderful fresh mint tea scent! After first spray, the strong crushed mint hits me, then it mellows to a mint green tea scent with hints of citrus and a bit of florals. Unisex, and is perfect for the hot, humid summer weather of a tropical country. Sometimes I spray it in the room just to get a "pick-me up" or on my sheets to enjoy that cool, refreshing scent! I'll try Note de Yuzu next.

I'm in love with this perfume. It does kind of give toothpaste/aftershave at first but quickly shifts to a more subtle minty freshness (and who doesn't want to smell like they have great dental hygiene anyway). Once the mint is gone it becomes THE clean scent I had been looking for - all other clean perfumes I've tried smell like screechy chemicals to me, this on the other hand is a beautiful, "my skin just naturally smells delicious" scent. Really got me feeling fresh even after sweating in tropical heat all day.

Smells amazing but the projection and longevity are so so sooooo disappointing. Such a fresh, calming scent that reminds me of walking near the water on a cloudless day with high sun, moderate heat, and a strong breeze - the kind that almost totally negates the heat. Pro tip to improve longevity and overall complexity: layer with Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme and Molecule 02. You're welcome.

Phenomenal natural mint over tea. The woody base just enough to make this a perfume rather than breath freshener. The bergamot opening lasts a while also helping turn this into a perfume experience rather than just natural oil. Infact it kinda reminds me of a stronger mint version of Acqua Di Parma Colonia Club. Great staying power and projection for a scent of this type.

This is a very fresh minty, green tea scent with some sort of white musk underneath it all. Lasts much longer than you'd think. Some days I got 4 hours out of it and some days I could still smell it close to the skin after 6 hours or more. I have never smelled anything like it before or after. Didn't love it enough to spring for the full bottle but the sample was fun.

A very nice mint, this is indeed like a more herbaceous and less citric cousin to Guerlain's Herba Fresca. It's very "leafy" in texture, a little bit powdery, it smells almost identical to crushing mint leaves in your hand. I love it, but probably like Geranium pour Monsieur the most as my favourite mint fragrance.

Beautiful citrus cologne with a twist of refreshing mint and something spicy, don't know what exactly!! Funny thing is, i smell lots of mandarine for the first 3 hours! Then the cologne starts to fade... I, too, wish it lasted longer. And for this money, i mind that it doesn't...

To me, this is an incredibly realistic take on a mint bush. It’s perfectly unobtrusive and agreeable, making it ideal for humid summers and busy places. It smells clean and fresh, and I find this to be impeccably blended, elevating the sum of its parts.

So bright and refreshing, just perfect for a hot summer's day. It has relatively short longevity, but I'm happy to take a travel size bottle with me and re-spray during the day. Like drinking a glass of iced mint tea on a sweltering day.

Simple and beautiful. It’s exactly what it promises. If you like mint notes it is a safe blind buy. Important, doesn’t last long, so you will have to reapply it. I don’t mind but given the price point it can be off-putting to some.

I’ve wondered why there are so few good perfumes with mint as a note. This is a cold, fresh mint breeze with a woody background that just works so incredibly well. Hard to explain, you have to smell it. Absolutely fantastic!

This is a beautiful and clean fragrance... smells expensive (and it is for the price point) perfect for a hot day! love to have this in my collection - its a FRESH fragrance ofc is not going to last 48 hours

I freaking love this thing! Best mint on the market - yes! Lol. Really masterfully done and feels just right. Inoffensive, clean and uplifting.

This is probably what you would get if you crushed mint leaves with citrus peels on a piece of cedar bark. It's that simple and natural.

The minty start settles into a lucious longer-lasting citrus. I love this, and so does my (picky) husband.

Smells awesome - minty, unisex, fresh - but within an hour or two, it's completely gone. Lousy longevity.

Herba Fresca from Guerlain stripped from the feminine florals. Great.

It's pretty good if you're looking for a realistic smelling mint leaf note. It's not exact, but it's certainly a lot closer than the likes of EDLO You Or Someone Like You, Amouage Beach Hut Man and Diptyque Eau De Minthe. For an out and out mint scent, this is probably the best I've come across. Problem is once it starts to dry down it turns slightly stange to my nose... not bad, just slightly strange. I understand that they have to do something to make it last because mint by itself is fleeting, so they've obviously tried to make the dry down smell as natural and realistic as the opening, but it doesn't quite work as well. That's the only thing putting me off getting a full bottle though, because aside from that I think this is a pretty good mint fragrance. On another note: If you are looking for a realistic mint note though, but you don't mind it not being the one prominent note (and would enjoy a mint/citrus combo), then look no further than Xerjoff Torino21. The most natural, photorealstic smelling mint note that I've found so far. It's spot on. It does share the forefront with the citruses though and dries down with a slight tea note too. Really good stuff either way.

It is a simple fragrance with just mint, and green tea around 2-3h later. Fresh mint was seasoned with some bergamont to make it warmer and not that freezing, and green tea was seasoned with some freesia, and the fragrance ended with cedar. That's it. The main reason it attract me to buy it in 100ml is that its fragrance feels so real and natural. Many mint notes in perfumes I tested in Sephora were cheaper and synthetics to me, feel like a men's after-shave or toothpaste, but this fragrance brings me fresh mint oil and the feeling of opening a can of green tea. It is concentrated, I feel a little stuffy on breath by the mint notes when I have around 5-6 sprays on 4 spots on my arms. It doesn't happen to my friend (she also have one) so maybe it depends. Nice in sillage. My friend can smell it from about 1.5 meters away. 130 euro for 100ml, nice price. ------ 一个很简单的薄荷开场、2-3小时后变成绿茶的香水。一些香柠檬调和薄荷的刺激的冷味让它暖一些,小苍兰让绿茶多一丁丁点花香,然后最后雪松收尾,整体有一点点皂香打底。仅此而已。 最吸引我买的点是它的香味非常自然清新,不会让人想到须后水或牙膏的味道,而就是薄荷(有鲜薄荷感,也有一点薄荷油的感觉),绿茶也是打开一罐茶叶把鼻子埋进去闻到的味道。很有细节。 味道有点浓郁,大概手臂4个关节共喷了5-6下,然后就有一点点偶尔会被薄荷闷住鼻子和胸口的感觉。但我朋友没有这种感觉,可能因人而异。 扩散不错,我朋友在1.5-2m左右可以明显闻到。 130欧100ml,价格不错。

fresh herbacious mint (spearmint/peppermint mix) from the garden on opening, like you pulled a stem off of a mint plant in a sunny herb garden. It isn't a cooling type of menthol mint scent but rather green, uplifting, slightly zingy/bitter from the bergamot and then the tea begins to come into focus. It is a bit earthy like dried tea leaves/powder but still clean and fresh like an iced spearmint green tea or spa water w an almost cucumber vibe. On me personally I don't get the freesia but I'm ok with that. This would be a good variation on a "freshie" clean scent and i still think it wears well in somewhat cooler months. I prefer this to the gourmand tea type scents that lean a bit sickly sweet and over the top with marshmallow and vanilla. It is a more realistic, pleasant scent even now in November as i revisit my sample just to have something subtle and in the background. This wears close to the skin and doesn't have the greatest longevity but it is nice and definitely can be unisex; good for office wear.

An older brother to ELDO's You Or Someone Like You. This one is also very minty and green, but does not have the floral notes that make YOSLO more feminine. Menthe Fraiche is pretty unisex, maybe just sliiightly masculine leaning, but you can definitely wear this as a woman. This is a very accurate rendition of a Spearmint leaf in the opening. Just keep in mind actual fresh spearmint is a pretty sharp scent you probably wouldn't want to smell like all the time. Luckily pretty quickly it dries down to a more calm green tea scent with just the right amount of mint and bergamot. Pretty lovely scent, perfect for office/gym and other casual outings, although imo it's sophisticated enough that you could get away with it in the more fancy events as well if you'd like it as a signature. The projection is pretty weak but the longevity is lovely, could feel this on my skin after 8-9 hours still

All in all, this is quite literally MINT. If you expect layers on layers within a perfume constructing a complex structure stay away from this. It is incredibly simple and for this very reason perfect. Doing such a plain scent focusing on one accord is really hard without making it feel like a synthetic mess. This literally smells like a bouquet of mint you collect from your garden in the summer, and almost nothing else. For some people it has a severe longevity/projection problem. It worked for my skin type and I was able to get like 3.5-4 hours of projection then becoming a skin scent. It sits close to the skin but not too close. My recommendation, try it on your skin for longevity. If you are content it is a solid 4.5/5. Otherwise, It is up to you to decide if you like it enough or not. Smell-wise it is a good blind buy if you like mint.

I thought it was just okay and didn't deserve the high praise it often gets. I noticed this is hit or miss for a lot of people. I don't consider this versatile. I have to be in a certain mood to wear this. I have received mostly negative comments about this fragrance. "This isn't something someone should smell like" was the worst. I enjoy it after a shower on a summer day, but nobody else seems to like it. Poor longevity, decent projection in the beginning, high price that's not worth it. Sold it in exchange for something better. For a better mint-based fragrance at this price point go with Selection Verte.

Menthe Fraîche is not an innocent, spring-like mint, and I'm not surprised it's not everyones cup of tea, because it's nowhere near the commercial "mint" we're so used to. This mint is strong, and the tea note is more forward than I've found in other tea scents I've tried (which admittedly is not many (Hello, Elizabeth Arden Green Tea!)). To me, Menthe Fraîche smells like a cup of very strong, unsweetened mint tea – green and bitter, fresh and herbaceous. This is not toothpaste mint, not room freshener mint, but rather a forest walk just after a long-awaited summer rain. Refreshing!

I would wear this every day of spring and summer if it didn’t disappear so quickly. I was a little unsure of the sample on paper, but on the skin, it has a sort of sexiness that’s not easily described. It’s clean, but alluring. It’s the smell of having just showered with someone. Unfortunately, there’s no way I can justify reapplying every hour. I don’t think it’s powerful enough to make me want a full sized for special occasion use. I’d maybe order another sample size if I was trying to get laid at an event that’s one hour long and doesn’t make you sweat in any way.

First impressions: blast of icy mint toothpaste, then soapy. Once it's settled, smells citrus with a sweet juicy green component, like a tart mint lemonade. This one is growing on me as a mojito perfume. Compared to ELDO You or Someone Like You, this is a lot mintier, greener, more sour, more astringent, and much less floral. ELDO has a watery rose component that I feel makes their dry-down a bit more feminine and perfume-y. I like this for long car rides or anything else where I might feel a bit nauseous as the mint and lemon are very refreshing.

Unlike most of the other mint scents I know (and love), this Menthe Fraîche isn't a light mint cocktail, but a dark green, REALLY minty mint, somewhere halfway between a big fresh bunch of the real thing picked on a hot day in summer, and a pack of unsweet spearmint bubblegum. It's a little startling at first, but I like this approach to the mint note a lot as well! And it's totally unisex, of course. The only problem is that it seems to be gone completely in the time it takes to get used to it...

a fresh cloud of mint between white and green very bright and light obviously It begins with mint declined in a icy way sometime It seems like mint is mixed with a pinch of green apple but it is only an impression Certainly there is an herbaceous note. the dry down is a little disappointing:green tea sometime I can feel a metallic fresh base note easy to wear for all ages. perfect for hot season Heeley's scents are for most delicate gentle and minimal

One summer in the early aughts, I brought a Rusk shampoo (blue bottle) with me to sleepaway camp. This smells just like it. one whiff and it's shower hour and I am showering in freezing cold water. Pretty sure it was Rusk Deepshine sea kelp... anyway enjoying the nostalgia and the scent is pleasant too, but a solid like and not love from me. There's something powdery in here too, that hits you in the back of your throat, perhaps a little heliotropine?

I really enjoy this. It reminds me a bit of Grey Flannel. It’s more masculine than I like so I’m giving it to my husband. For me, the mint is subtle, calm, and fresh. I’m a person who loves strong natural mint scents - the kind that sting your nose - and this is more refined than that. I also notice the bergamot and cedar. Disappointed to not notice the freesia. It’s a very pleasant and fresh perfume.

I was very impressed with the longevity for this light & fresh fragrance. Usually these types disappear on me quickly but this lasted several hours. Every stage from top to bottom was interesting, it evolved well & so fresh and comforting. Definitely unisex. I only picked up a little bit of mint at the top but it was well done, not sharp or medicinal. Two thumbs up

It's very interesting as a fragrance. I don't think it suits me but I want to get my other half to try this when the weather is warm. I can imagine this smelling incredible and very expensive on someone in a suit! Super fresh, sophisticated and aromatic. The tea note has a hint of tobacco on my skin, a little earthy and blast of mint leaf.

This is moroccan mint, which is like one part spearment to nine parts green tea. I would consider this an 'okay' masculine scent. I have been looking for a good spearment fragrance for a very long time, since the world seems to revolve around peppermint it seems nearly impossible to find.

Wow. Minty, but not necessarily a sharp piercing mint. It’s definitely the main note, but it’s blended nicely. It’s a very calming and refreshing scent. However, I’m trying to justify the $180 for this, but I’m just not sure if I can. Anybody know where I can find it cheaper?

Like a competitor to Viaggio #2, I’d have to apply more on the skin and check the longevity. Definitely pleasant, but the question is how long. ⸻ First, it fades; second, it’s all still not original enough. Keep watering it down, and you’ll surely keep hordes of fans.

A green mint perfume, perfect for summer. Very fresh & natural, 100% unisex, the sillage and longevity are moderate. It is not a complex scent, but very versatile. The problem? The cost of this perfume... Too expensive to my opinion. 7/10 I will give to my husband

An unpretentious (but successful) attempt to create a non-toothpaste mint fragrance. Lemony-mint on top (smells much like verbena and mint) on a smooth and very natural cedarwood/musky base. Mission accomplished. Rating: 6.5-7/10