Jess

Wow! I really LOVE this one! I don't understand the previous comments regarding sweetness and heaviness because I don't find it sweet or heavy. It is miles less sweet and heavy than the majority of the floral fragrances I've encountered in my search for a new signature scent. I wish there were a sweetness scale that we scored fragrances on. If the sweetest I ever smelled is a 10, then this one is a 2. Bear in mind that I generally only endeavor to smell floral fragrance types. This fragrance is a completely inoffensive type that stays close to the skin and has little projection. It only lasts on my skin for two hours, but lasts longer on clothing. The opening is a powdery hyacinth which is not at all loud or screechy, and it's mellowed by the other notes. The most interesting part of this fragrance is the fact that the wood note complements the flowers so perfectly. It is a completely amazing wood scent that smells just like my husband's shop when he is building furniture. I just love the smell of freshly cut fine woods! Recently, he made a chest with walnut wood and I'm sure that's the note that I smell in this fragrance! Hyacinth has a reputation for being an overbearing flower when it comes to scent but this hyacinth is an exception because the emphasis is on hyacinth's earthy side rather than on it's sweetness. I grow hyacinths in my garden every year and this fragrance has enough realistic hyacinth fragrance to be recognizable but not enough to be like the real flower. Now, a real, live hyacinth blossom in front of one's nose...the delft blue to purple hued type...my goodness, that kind of flower scent would be overbearing. I'm so sad that this is a discontinued fragrance! It's still available on eBay, though.

On a site like this, I'm sure we can agree that much of our love for fragrance is emotional in nature, and sometimes has nothing to do with the fragrance itself, but rather with the memories and feelings that a scent evokes. I admit that my love for Jess by Jessica McClintock is primarily a feeling of nostalgia. I have not smelled this in over 20 years. My mom gave me a small sample bottle of it when I was 14, while she kept a full bottle for herself. My dad (who has now passed away) was named Jess, so we thought it was sweet for both of us to wear a fragrance with his name. It evokes memories of evenings spent with my parents, watching favorite movies and laughing together. They are bittersweet memories, as I was very close with my parents and miss those times so much. I just ordered a partially-used bottle of this on eBay, and am so excited to receive it. I hope that it still smells the way it does in my memory from that summer of '96. Update: Hallelujah, it DOES smell like it did way back in '96 - I am awash in a flood of very pleasant memories. And as a bonus, my husband (who hates at least 80% of my many fragrances) brushed past me a few minutes ago and said, "You smell so good! Like being at the beach." Without telling him the notes in anything, I have observed that the only fragrances he compliments are the ones that are pure or almost pure florals.

The mini bottle is just about as pretty as the full size; I've loved it forever as it is a mellow floral and lightly sweet, not as much lily of the valley, more of a hyacinth in the garden. Some woodiness, to balance the sweetness, like a walk in the woods in Spring. I have the splash and just a couple of drops LAST! It doesn't project all that much after the top notes, just settles down nicely. Quite feminine and gentle, lasts 4-5 hours and is almost a skin scent at the last. Lovely, like that Spring walk.

I remember buying this in in the late 90's!!! It was such a delightful scent. The lily of the valley is such a nice smell... It is very floral for the spring and summer. I am going to try to find a bottle on EBAY because that is how much I loved it. It was a very heavenly smell. One of the best! Very light and clean. One of the best in my opinion and I looooooved the tiny bottle ♥

This one was a major favorite of mine in the mid 90's!!!!!!!! On me it was a sweet honeysuckle-ish scent mixed with Hyacinth & orange blossoms!! Could be a little strong if you over sprayed on on you but omg it was a wonderful spring scent! It had excellent staying power. I went through a few bottles of this but I kept my 1st bottle of its just because its so pretty!!!!