Eau Gourmande Vanille Gourmande

Have I finally found a true vanilla that is sweet yet subtle, delicious yet not cloying and long lasting? I think I have! This perfume is absolutely delicious. I was worried about trying it in this current heatwave we're having in the UK, but I didn't need to worry. All I could smell on my wrists was vanilla ice cream, followed by a dreamy vanilla cake batter dry down. Opening spray is sweet, creamy, delicious vanilla. Honestly, I can't stop sniffing my wrists. The dry down with the amber, soft vanilla and sandalwood actually reminds me a little of Fancy by Jessica Simpson which shares the same notes. Boyfriend sniffed me and well... Lets just say I got lucky this afternoon. He said it was like an aphrodisiac and that I smelled sexy. (He's as crazy about vanilla scents as I am!) I scoured the web for this and found it on a buy it now listing for £20, which I think was a great deal as it's £50 on other websites. It was new and sealed and the packaging is classy and simple. The bottle is so pretty in it's understated elegance that it's actually now at the front of my collection. I think I just found a new vanilla to add to my collection.

Knowing how Laura Mercier fragrances have gone through reformulations in the past, I purchased two bottles of this...just in case! I'm a vanilla girl, so I've hardly ever met a vanilla that I didn't appreciate in some way/shape/form. My oldest vanilla faves are Victoria's Secret's Vanilla Lace (vanilla pudding) and The Body Shop's original Vanilla oil (from the '90s) (a slightly more floral warm vanilla). To me, LM Vanille Gourmand is white vanilla buttercream frosting on a birthday cake (with that little hint of coconut smell...although I know coconut is not listed as one of the notes, I still get that impression). That's not to say that it's not a womanly scent, it most assuredly is. I do think I like Outremer's Vanilla a little bit more (vanilla soft serve ice cream in a waffle cone), but I vacillate. These are all on the affordable side, which is nice. Definitely try this one and wait for the dry down, it's so nice.

Delicious!! Warm, rich, gentle, boozy, creamy. Feminine. I love it. Beautiful blend of all the notes - the heliotrope is divine; the sweet and delicate orchid and lily enhance the fresh florally aspect, and the sandalwood is soft, sweet and supportive with the amber and musk. Glorious dry-down, and lasts very very well on me! 16 hours and more. Beautiful warm soft wafting sillage, and my husband adores it. It's rich and sweet and creamy, not tooo sweet though, the almond in the heliotrope makes sure of that, and also gives it a lovely slightly bitter tone. It's a delectable perfume. I always have people asking me what is the name of the wonderful perfume I'm wearing. I've even had a couple of people rush over to ask me, from a few feet away, when I've been out shopping! Eau Gourmande Vanille Gourmande by Laura Mercier is definitely one of my favourite perfumes, and I wear it very often. I LOVE it!!!

I love this after it dries down - when first sprayed it smells very strange - like bug spray or something - not pleasant at all. Did anyone else notice this? After it dries down, the vanilla scent is lovely - not overly sweet, not artificial & cheap like many vanillas. It is very sophisticated! and it has a bit of ...smoky smell to it? It really is lovely- smells like an alluring woman, not a children's vanilla cupcake lip gloss or baking cookies (so many fragrances don't get it right and end up with one of the latter). Really, after this dries down I am in love with it. I get whiffs of it all day and go "Mmmmm" now THIS is what perfume should be. It smells so...fresh, feminine, I can't explain it but it is such a gorgeous fragrance. After it is on a few hours the smell is less strong but I still get elegant whiffs every now and then!

Earlier this year, during the stricter stay at home orders, I was on a huge blind buy vanilla hunt. I didn’t even know what my perfect vanilla was, but I knew what it wasn’t (and it wasn’t in my collection). So I scoured, and I ordered samples. And when I couldn’t order samples, I blind bought bottles. Kayali vanilla 28, nice but not fulfilling that need. Seven virtues vanilla woods, sure it’s nice, but no cigar. Vanille gourmande, where have you been all of my life? This is a super sweet powdery vanilla whipped cream. It’s truly the most decadent vanilla in my collection. I can get sensitive to the tooth achy sweet- so careful application required, but on the right day, amazing! Moderate performance, but it’s actually the best performer from this line of the ones I’ve tried.