Idôle

This is my ultimate go to fragrance that is chic, refined, and undeniably classic. While it’s the definition of office safe, it’s far from boring; it possesses a soft, whimsical romanticism that makes it so very alluring. Wear it on a date, girl's night, school, work, at home.... like its just that lovely and versitile. It is the one staple I will never allow my collection to be without. The scent opens with a luminous, dew kissed rose, framed by a pear note that is both succulent and delicately powdery. A flicker of pink pepper adds a flirty, confident edge, while bergamot provides a bite. As it settles, it transforms into a lush, skin like musk complimented by gentle, sun warmed woods. Beautifully, that fresh rose never truly fades. I will say that in general you truly have to focus to pick apart the notes, the perfume is incredibly well blended... it takes a scent of its own. I wouldn't say this is a generic or cloying perfume at all; it is a timeless beauty with sparks of the confident, modern woman. Wearing this makes me feel instantly vibrant and poised. It might not be my loudest or most unique fragrance, but it is consistently my most complimented. I think it proves not every perfume needs to be overly complicated, loud, or overdone to be special and gorgeous.

This one doesn't deserve all the hate it gets! I get it, this might seem boring and unremarkable if you've smelled hundreds of different fragrances before and you're used to complexity and uniqueness, but we fragrance maniacs need to understand that not everything is about us. THIS is what an average woman wants from a perfume – it's fresh, pretty and sophisticated, perfect for everyday wear but also suitable for formal events. Very versatile. People make it seem like this scent is a disgrace to the fragrance industry, and it's just not true. Lancome has many powerful statement-perfumes, but not many everyday freshie-type frangrances like this. The only one I can think of is Miracle, which came out two decades ago. I think it's understandable that Lancome wanted to come out with an updated, more modern version of an everyday fresh-floral scent. Personally, I have always loved floral scents, but I have been on a sweet-gourmand kick for a while now. When I smelled this, I was instantly mesmerized. It just smelled like me. It reminded me that deep down I will forever and always be a floral girl, even though it is often considered the "boring" genre of perfumery. Also, it's a delight to finally find a really long-lasting floral – this lasts at least 8-10 hours on me!

I tried Idole in last February and didnt think much of it but after trying again now, I want to update my comment. It felt as if close to nothing to me in the cold weather, but around 25+ degrees temperature I think it becomes more potent. Rose, patchouli, musk, these became more noticeable. I sprayed it on my arm and even past 24 hours it's still there. Not talking about a monstrous presence or anything but it's just rosy and beautiful. I dont normally believe in fragrance seasons as a strict rule but maybe summer is the time where you can actually enjoy Idole. In the winter it's so icy and barely there. Also about the rose, which its expression can be quite diverse from sugary syrupy Turkish delight rose to powdery old make up rose and to almost metallic - bleeding feeling sharp rose. Idole is neither of them. It's fresh but not too green, not powdery at all, definitely not Turkish delight-y nor sharp and blood-like. Photorealistic and delicate. Definitely thinking of getting a 25 ml bottle for summer. Heat makes it so sensual and romantic without getting overtly heady. Clean feeling without laundry room vibes. Well done lancôme, well done.

Ideal spring/summery fragrance, basically my perfect mix of flowery/gourmand. I have had so many comments from other girls asking what that lovely smell was - it was me, because if you walk in a room, they will smell you. If you get in a car with someone, they will still smell you from an arm's distance, even if you only used the hairbrush you sprayed weeks ago (noted by my brother.) Because of this potency, I would use sparingly - don't even think about touching up (and with only the barest spray) for at least 5 hours. It sticks to fabric for a long time as well. The one person it seems to offend is my hyperosmiac mother, whom I still live with, so I still haven't finished the bottle I've had for years - but it keeps well. It still smells the same. The bottle is simple and elegant and lies flat; but I keep it in the box anyway to extend its shelf life. The shiny decorative strips on the side tend to fall off after a while, because plastic does not stick well to a glass bottle.

I just purchased a bottle of this after nursing 3 tester vials. It's fast becoming one of my favourite pear/rose scents. Alongside those two notes I also detect lily of the valley, jasmine, musk, bergamot and cedar. It's fancy. Rich lady in a rich suburb, or working class lady in an outer suburb fancy. Anyone can wear it, really. There's a synthetic note that I can't quite name that may be another way cedar manifests. It keeps the fragrance modern and interesting. Overapplying this can be harsh, as it's extremely strong and the projection is beastly. I absolutely adore this. It's the type of fragrance I smell somewhat frequently like Kayali Vanilla 28, Black Orchid, Coco Mademoiselle, Mon Paris & Delina. I'm just not sick of this yet. I may actually buy another 25mL bottle... I cannot imagine running out of this. Even when the style is out of fashion (shock, horror), I want to smell like this.