Frangipani Flower

This doesn't smell like sunscreen. Sunscreen smells like this. It's coming from the salicylates, mostly benzyl salicylate. Fun fact: in the same way these salicylates protect flowers from UV radiation, they are often used in sunscreens for the same protection. So that's why we associate this flower with the smell of sunscreen. How's the scent though? Incredibly realistic. When I was in Hawaii, I picked a fresh frangipani flower and carried it around all day just to keep smelling it. While I haven't done a side-by-side test, this is spot-on from memory. It opens up with a very, very subtle citrus that is overtaken by a little bit methyl anthranilate (a dry, grape-like aroma chemical that essentially turns neroli into orange blossom, or jasmine into tuberose). There's also some added sandalore for depth. Personally, I don’t get any jasmine or ylang-ylang. Maybe they're just really good at hiding inside the frangipani, because I can't distinguish them. And the complaints about performance are absolutely ridiculous. It's like buying a Mazda Miata and complaining that it can't tow a 10,000-pound trailer. Look at the breakdown: benzyl salicylate, methyl salicylate, methyl anthranilate, benzyl acetate, hedione, phenyl ethyl alcohol... these are all middle notes. So what do you expect from a fragrance built almost entirely on middle note molecules? It’s not gonna last more than an hour or two on skin, because it isn’t a base-heavy scent. The entire personality of this fragrance lives in the top and heart, not the base. Unfortunately, there is no magical, unscented ingredient that boosts performance, and longevity and projection have absolutely nothing to do with how "high quality" a perfume is. If you're trying to create the smell of a frangipani flower wearing little makeup, it's literally impossible to boost the performance without adding heavy base notes, which will completely change the scent. Not even increasing the concentration is enough. So accept it for what it is: a beautifully constructed frangipani accord made wearable.

This is frangipani in all its glory. Bright, creamy, salty, and tropical! I absolutely LOVE the addition of lemon in here as well. It really does create this massive burst of brightness and joy. The jasmine is definitely very pronounced in the dry-down, but the ylang ylang is certainly still there in the background, which really helps solidify the yellow floral creaminess of this fragrance. I could swear they added a salt note in this, as there is a saltiness throughout the entire olfactory experience. Could just be the frangipani though. I think this might be one of the truest interpretations of frangipani yet - PERFECT summer time frag! Totally safe blind buy if you like yellow florals! Also, I can't believe how long this has lasted on my skin. I wasn't expecting much from a Jo Malone perfume. But we're at almost 3 hours already and this is STILL going strong. Rating: 9/10

This has practically no sillage or longevity, but the scent is really beautiful. I love the smell I just wish it was less expensive, or lasted longer. If you have a nose for fragrances and you know what sandalwood and jasmine smell like, that's this scent. There are more subtle complexities to it, but if you can imagine those notes together and they seem appealing, I think this is a safe "blind buy". It doesn't really smell like frangipani/ plumeria flower to me. If you live someplace where they can grow, you probably know what they smell like in the summer. Very juicy, heavy, sweet but strong flowers, especially in the heat. If you're willing to compromise the sweeter end of the actual flower for more of a white floral, you'll like this.

I have traveled to Hawaii in the past and found myself entranced by the lingering scent of frangipani in the warm tropical air. Recently, I was gifted a bottle of this fragrance and was somewhat disappointed. It's a neater, cleaner version of an actual frangipani blossom, less juicy, more airy; less heady, more refined. There's also an underlying watery synthetic note that isn't listed, which I enjoy, but not as much when it's trying to mask its manufactured nature. I expected sunlight and waterfalls, but instead was presented with air conditioning and spa water- which I do still enjoy. Pair with: white bathrobes, indoor water features, marble archways, wet hair with too much conditioner in it.

I got this perfume for my wife. They love frangipani. This is really nice and just up their ally. It’s giving clean girl aesthetic, sophistication, a touch of tropical paradise that adds a flair of mystery but in a light, airy way. This perfume has a light-moderate sillage and projection and not much of a longevity. If you want a perfume that is in the background and just lightly exudes off of your skin this is it.