Tendre Madeleine

LIGHT & CAKEY Madeleine Cookies & Lemon Poundcake... Opening with a vanilla-citrus burst that continues through a creamy vanilla cake heart to a cinnamon-almond nuanced caramel base. The citrus in the opening reads more like lemon to me, and tilts it to lemon poundcake imo. Requires several months of dark storage after first sprays to develop performance. Overall: Beautiful vanilla-madeleine/lemon-poundcake scent profile with average or slightly above average performance if stored after first sprays. This cakey vanilla beauty is for the seekers and collectors of vanilla scents. It's a love for me. Enjoy! Contrast to L de Lolita Lolita Lempicka: These are different, but there is a similar citrus-vanilla gourmand vibe with cinnamon. L de Lolita has herbal touches from immortelle that are absent in Tendre Madeleine. L de Lolita has a stronger performance. Contrast to Lira Xerjoff: These are strikingly similar, although they're not identical, both being very prominent citrus-vanilla scents, Lira is slightly heavier with a more forward amber in the base, although both have a lighter cakey feel in the opening. Lira outperforms TM. Contrast to Vanille Franck Boclet: Strikingly similar scent profile with lemon-vanilla gourmand in the openings. VFB has a few more aromatic touches, and a more forward amber in the base than either Tendre Madeleine or Lira. VFB has superior performance. Update 07/15/24: It's been quite awhile since I've worn this, but sprayed it 3 times on the back of my hand today. The colour of the juice has darkened quite a bit since I first got it, and the performance has greatly improved. Startling similar to Lira Xerjoff except not quite as much amber in the drydown as Lira, more like the opening of Lira. Tendre Madeleine still has a lighter to medium weight feel to it. Performs well in the heat as a summer vanilla, although the scent profile works year round. Became a 10/10.

Yes yes yes. Yum yum yum. I very much get the connection to Madeleines! Softly sweet, slightly warm, delicate airy delight. Very fem. At first it is vanilla batter that has just had a teaspoon of lemon extract blended in. Then It is spongy baked vanilla sugar -that hints at cinnamon and almond- but never throws them in your face. They're just a dusting. It's ... gentle. It's cookie, but cookie with sensuality and sophistication. I also sense the woody/musk essence in the dry down, but it is subtle and does not overwhelm the star notes. In the end it is pretty warmed sugar, cinnamon, and almond with a hint of muskiness that is simple and does not overwhelm the senses. My first test was one simple spray in the crook of my arm.... didn't last so long, so I layered multiple sprays at my wrist for the next test and accomplished some extra scent power by doing that. I can't wait to don this in the fall and winter months. Bliss. EDIT: I cannot get over how much I have fallen in love with this fragrance. Its beauty just whispers. It is like a gorgeous scent on a passing breeze in autumn that is warm and enticing. It is so subtle, and so nicely blended. The almond and cinnamon do not "bite" the way they do in so many other fragrances, it's like they are just happily lazing about on my skin. It is a perfect mingling of all of the notes. Even though I was planning on saving this for fall I just cannot stop myself from spritzing it on every morning and evening....liberally!!! It is just lovely. If you are into these notes, and contemplating a blind buy - I don't think you'd be sorry!

I've had this beauty for about a week now and find myself getting more deeply involved with it with each passing day. I almost made the rash decision to swap it away, the first day I got it, just because I didn't get that 'this is GORGEOUS' feeling upon first sniff. Man, am I glad I didn't act impulsively that day and gave it a fair shot. I don't consider myself to be heavily into gourmands, cause my first love has always been clean and fresh fragrances. I feel I've had to train my nose somewhat to appreciate gourmands. The first gourmand I fell in love with was BS Fantasy. Then pink sugar jumped on that list not long after, as well as JS Fancy, Gold Sugar, Dior HP...and the list slowly continues to stretch out. At this point on my perfume journey, I think I can safely say though that Tendre Madeleine is my favourite gourmand to date. It. is. simply. D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S. At first the cinnamon was a little off putting to me, I felt it was a bit too spicy but oh how that has changed these last few days. I now adore the cinnamon in this. This smells like a sweet buttery gingerbread cookie with a little bit of lemon drops. Absolutely mouthwatering. I find myself reaching for this beauty more and more and when wearing it, not being able to stop sniffing my arm. This is one of those fumes, that the more I wear this the more I like it. I fully reccomend this to those who like to get their gourmand on as well as those who are taking their first steps into the sweet sweet world of gourmand fragrances. Long story short, very yummi, warm and inviting. A definite YES.

When I first saw the line in our local store, I was searching for affordable yet something unique on its own. I was browsing the fragrances and they were pretty 'sugar' to me. [It was array of their vanilla fragrances] So I skipped this time too sugary vanilla frags [I still own Pink Sugar and Vanille Coco, yeah] and found this. First impression - lalala! L de Lolita! I used to have deo of that line so it's pretty much IT. Tendre Madeleine was available in 50 or 100ml. I liked it even tho didn't test it much so I took the 100 and I'm really glad I did. Cause in few months this line is no longer in store. Shet? Story #2 So this basically is your real gourmand vanilla fragrance. It smells like... erm some kind of muffin cookie I never ate [I googled those and it looked yummy]. It smells of vanilla, a little sugar, lots of almonds [yay] and something like orange jelly. There is some citrusy undertone to it but it's paired with sugar so much that it must rather be 'the filling'. Story #3 It is very intensive at first and then settles down but still is here. I do get used to this scent, but that sould be just me cause people around do nothice this. So that makes me think sillage is ok. Well I put it on in more amount than any strong fragrances I own. But... it is so divine that you literally want to get sugar overdose. so be careful.

Laurence Dumont's Tendre Madeleine is a sweet confection of a fragrance. I agree with the other reviews that describe warm, fresh baked, crispy edged, vanilla cookies. I thought it might be fun to throw an actual Madeleine recipe into this review: 2 eggs 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup white sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1/4 cup butter 1/3 cup granulated sugar That's very much what this smells like. I don't get as much lemon as others report, but I think it may be the bergamot (Citrus bergamia, the Bergamot orange is a fragrant fruit the size of an orange, with a yellow color similar to a lemon.) Anyway, this is really nice for layering if you are creative and want to sweeten up another fragrance. Otherwise, I find it to be very uplifting. Just as nice as eating a delicious pastry in a cafe on a sunny afternoon. Laurence Dumont's other fragrances seem more natural and less synthetic than others I have tried. I really love Vanille Chocolat. I like this company and the fragrance company called Berdoues, which I find similar in style. Tendre Madeleine has decent staying power. On my skin, it lasts about 5-6 hours.

Oh I love a heavenly bargain! Tendre Madeleine is a delicious every day scent that does smell very similar to L de Lempicka but a little softer and less citrusy in the opening. Maybe a little less musky also. I sure am enjoying discovering all of these affordable fragrances that are so pleasurable to wear - thanks to Fragrantica! I would have never known this even existed without the members here. Thank you! I honestly can not imagine anyone who would just flat out not like this. They may not go gaga over it but I don't see how it would be possible to hate it because it is such an easy going and pleasant scent. It certainly wouldn't be anything obnoxious or offensive in any environment. Almond-vanilla-cinnamon-y goodness with a bit of citrus (bergamot). Soft, smooth and a bit creamy and not a bit overbearing. Totally safe blind buy!! And apparently it is something my cat likes because she is rubbing all over me now and head butting me and rolling around like I gave her cat nip or something!! Now she is making biscuits!! I agree kitty, it smells pretty darn good doesn't it??

Oh wow. This really does smell just like L de Lolita Lempicka, the same heavenly little cinnamon and vanilla cloud. I couldn't even make the difference until I sprayed L next to Tendre Madeleine. Tendre Madeleine lacks the sandalwood and everlasting flower notes that make L sharper and more potent. L has a stronger sillage and good longevity, but Tendre Madeleine is more than decent in that regard for its price and beautiful scent, I won't complain. Tendre Madeleine evolves a bit differently from L with time, it stays lighter, more stereotypically feminine, and with more vanilla and less cinnamon. In the far drydown, Vanille Noire from the same line is spicier and smells closer to L, although the opening is not at all like it. I had the happy surprise to find this beauty (and even a tester) at my local Galeries Lafayette in France. It's not advertised online, but they have it in stock, as well as many other Laurence Dumont perfumes, not in the perfume department, but hidden in their little corner among other cosmetics. However, big bottles are much cheaper online.

Like Drigsby said below, this is VERY close to Xerjoff Lira. In my side-by-side comparison, Lira had slightly better lasting power--Tendre Madeleine lasted about 6 hours, Lira lasted more like 9, but both were significantly weaker after about 3, with Lira more detectable. The major difference I found was that the cinnamon in Tendre Madeleine disappeared quickly, but in Lira it hung around for at least a few hours. There is also a slightly woody note to TM that makes it feel slightly more powdery to me. I got slightly more caramel from Lira also, whereas there is almond (similar, but lighter and slightly nutty instead of very thick and buttery? like caramel) in TM. Since I am a fan of cinnamon and caramel and am not such a fan of woody notes; I do still like Lira better. But I only notice these differences if I am wearing them both at the same time and taking very close and careful sniffs. SO: although I like Lira slightly more, it is probably NOT worth $300 more! TM is a near-perfect dupe. I just wish the cinnamon lasted longer and was a bit stronger!

This perfume line of LES SENTEURS GOURMANDIES (same house) is available on eBay with delivery for $15/50 and $17/100ml. Amd some score over 4 out of 5. They sell this at Sephora so....... ..... Ah, it must be good! :)) Oh yes, and I had no idea what a Madeline was (other than my niece's name!) A review below actually has the recipie to make a Madeline! Just wanted to add, that I'M IN LOVE with this gorgeous perfume! I can't stop sniffing my wrist. Compared fairly with Creed's Sublime Vanille, (with similar notes) which is 30 x the price of this little beauty, I think I've done really well in going with this one rather than any expensive 'top shelf' brand. And it's NOT, to good to be true! Love, love, love my Tendre Madeline! Hooray for a successful blind buy. :)

I wouldn't dare post this on the L'instant Magic page for fear of being tarred and feathered by the Guerlain Militia (And I LOVE Guerlain hopelessly, don't misunderstand), but one of my favorite scents on the face of this planet is L'instant Magic layered with Tendre Madeleine. It tones down the dry, dry powder note that I *like* but find too strong, but amps up that sweet panty-dropping vanilla almond in L'Instant Magic's dry down that makes me wanna ignore all that poofy powder. Now I don't have to just pretend that it's not too TOO, the Tendre Madeleine just smooths it over with cake. Delicious. Ok, I'm prepared for my life as a fragrantica social pariah now.

Here I am, 2 years into my perfume collecting. With our cooler months here and ahead, I felt like a new vanilla perfume Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this range of Laurence Dumont or the Les Senteurs Gourmandies range of unbelievably cheap perfumes that look quite good when I review the line. Some fragrances are getting scores of 4.20 out of 5 amd THAT'S IMPRESSIVE! Of course I had to order 2, one being Tendre Madeleine and the Vanilla violet perfume. I'm excited to see if they're as good as they sound. Could it be possible? For $15/50ml. Continued in next review above.....

I've had my 50ml bottle for a few days now and I've never gone thru the amount of perfume I have with this so quickly It's because I CAN'T STOP spraying it! It's SO SO GOOD! It's not an intricate perfume, but it's so comforting and cozy. Actually, I never knew how good citrus can be when softened with vanilla like it is in Tendre Madeleine. Not only am I waiting on the body lotion and another bottle intended for a gift, I've just bought a 100ml because I know I never want to be out of this gorgeous frag. I'm head over heals in love. Give it try! I doubt anyone could be disappointed.

[NOV. 2023] Much like Lira with a saltier, muskier base. Tendre Madeleine dries down rather quickly in comparison to Lira and starts smelling less lemony, more musky-lactonic. However for $35AUD (50ml), this price to performance ratio can't be beat. Recommend spraying again after the first dry down for prolonging longetivity's sake + the lemon-cinnamon top notes. Does it smell like a cookie? No. Does it smell like lemon pound cake? Yes. A people pleasing gentle gourmand which can still be noticed from quarter a room's distance.

Based on the reviews here, I bought a 5 ml bottle off Ebay. The first day I got it and sprayed it, I went back on and bought the biggest bottle I could find. This is SO delicious! I don't tend to do gourmands because of their exceeding sweetness, but this is not too sweet. I love it when it's first sprayed on, and the drydown is different but just as delicious with it's warmth and woodsiness! I so enjoy every note of this perfume from top notes to the drydown. This is a near perfect perfume for me!

I was worried that this would smell like L de Lolita because others have said so (and that perfume smells like potpourri on me); but luckily for me, this has a scent of its own. My favorite coffee creamer of all time is Coffeemate's Warm Cinnamon Cookie that comes out around Christmastime...this smells exactly like it. It is a soft, cinnamon cookie smell. Longevity is good; I sprayed it on each surface of my hand 5 hours ago and I still get whiffs of scent here and there.

I bought this scent in an M&S sale. It must be my bargain of the year! Yes, this is potent juice but the dry down is so worth it. It smells just like madeleines cooking. Warm and yummy. The trouble is that it makes me peckish lol. I have to say that I cant detect the bergamot or cinnamon at all on my skin which is a shame. The sillage is good and it lasts for 8 hours on my skin.

this is such a lovely winter scent, it doesn't really smell cakey like a madeleine to me but it's got that sweet pretty lemony vanilla thing. it so reminds me of afternoon delight. but the longevity SUCKS - barely lasts 30 minutes on my skin. i really wish it lasted longer, but for the price it's worth carrying it in your purse to reapply

Such a comforting vanilla. I feel like I transform into a warm golden cinnabun with a magical dab of almond/bergamont. Relaxing and comforting. My friends who don't like any of my perfumes like this one! Uncomplicated, linear. Lasts a good 10 hours on vanilla-loving skin like mine. This perfume just radiates soft edible yumminess.

i purchased this based on one of YouTube reviewers called MrSmelly1977 . this really smells like the cakes . i smell a sweet vanilla/orange with amber and an ever so tiny amount of sweet liquor . the price for these are amazing only paid $20 for 50ml . smells delicious actually makes me hungry for cakes and deserts .

A raccoon eating snickerdoodles. Yes, I get buttery vanilla cookies with a sprinkling of cinnamon, bergamot, nag champa incense, and enough animalic musk to recall the fluffy musky grey fur of one large raccoon. Perfect for a party.

Very delicious vanilla which i dont find overly sweet. Its also perfect for layering with a variety of fragrances. Has a decent longevity and adds depth. Its just delicious.

Choose this if budget is an issue but want the effect and mood from the likes of Xerjoff Lira & Ex Idolo's Love & Crime. Periodt.

It smells exactly like Xerjoff's Lira, for a fraction of the price. Absolutely FB worthy.

Smells like a lemony cake. Gorgeous gourmand for the price.

OH MY !!! I LOVE this ! Tendre Madeline is so beautiful and wonderfully addictive ! I blind bought it based on these reviews and on member Drigsby's additional comments in other Fragrantica threads . THANK YOU SO MUCH, Drigsby ! I hesitated at first, because I prefer VERY strong powerhouse fragrances with intense silage and longevity. I wasn't sure I would like a soft skin scent. I bought it anyway, thinking if I didn't like it, I could always give it for a gift. When I first sprayed Tendre Madeline, I got a strong shock of alcohol with a sharp bite of bergamot. But a minute later, this perfume enveloped me with the most delicious cake - like cloud ! The alcohol and bergamot blast disappeared entrely. This is the first "skin scent" type fragrance I tried and I am blown away ! Tendre Madeline has excellent longevity.....lasts on my skin forever until I shower it off. I am happily suprised that I can smell it quite clearly, even though it does wear close to skin. It's like walking around in a heavenly vanilla and soft cinnamon cloud. NOT candy sweet or sugary. Tendre Madeline is the scent of warm cookies baking in the oven. The cinnamon here is beautiful, rich, soft, gentle, surrounded by the most tasty vanilla almond. A very slight woody touch with a "barely there" hint of soft musk gives this perfume character and extremely long lasting power. Reviewers are right when they say the heat from skin warms Tendre Madeline, helping to project the scent. It's like almond cookies or vanilla cake baking in the oven....heat releases the scent in delicious waves, for as long as you wear it. It doesn't fade away or disappear. Because it is a skin scent, I thought Tendre Madeline might not last long on its own, so I bought the matching body lotion, too, hoping it might help with longevity. Turns out, I didn't have to worry...Tendre Madeline lasts forever on its own ! I enjoy the body lotion, too, worn alone or under this and other fragrances. The lotion is lovely and long lasting all by itself. Tendre Madeline is perfect to wear any time ! It won't offend anyone. Personally, wearing this, I feel calm, centered, mellow, and exquisitely delicious. Thank you ALL for your wonderful reviews, and special thanks to Drigsby whose comments convinced me to try Tendre Madeline. I'm totally hooked now, and super happy about that ! By the way, I also tried Casamorati 1888 Lira Xerjoff, and the reviewers are right when they say there's no reason to spend such a huge amount of money..........Lira and Tendre Madeline are identical, both are rich and equally long lasting on my skin.

Tendre Madeleine is a hidden gem, one I was craving for a long time, even before I discovered it. I bought it last year during my holiday to France. I tested several times before I bought it. Yet, it stayed unopened for several months because I bought it during summer and I knew I could only wear it during the cold season. Yesterday, the snow inspired me to finally open it, I can't say how much I love it and I'm glad I added it to my collection. Delicious accords of vanilla, cinnamon & almond mixed with the freshness of bergamot fruits. I wouldn't describe this fragrance as sensual, it's more of a cosy, soft and comforting type of fragrance. It's the type of fragrance I craved for yesterday, when it snowed for the first time this season, in The Netherlands. It's the type of fragrance you'd want to cuddle up with, dress yourself with and feel it's warmth & tenderness. Very eadible & yet not overly sweet. I find it's quality way above it's price point. It strongly resambles L from Lolita Lempicka indeed, which is high of my top discontinued fragrances wish list. The chance that I will ever find a reasonably priced bottle of L are very low, so I'm very glad I can settle with this less expensive, yet really beautiful fragrance. I really think it has a niche quality to it, without the niche price point.

On the first spray, I get overwhelmed with bergamot and cinnamon - I was disappointed because I hate strong citrus scents with a passion. Smells slightly masculine too, but I'm getting bored of girly fragrances anyway. Thankfully it settles down into a pleasant, creamy, warm vanilla with a hint of cinnamon. It's sweet, but not over the top - it smells very natural. It literally smells like a bakery, it's the ultimate gourmand perfume. Very comforting, if cozy was a scent, then this would be it. I'll be wearing it for now on - it's officially my autumn/winter scent. It's unique, but not bold or offensive. I like how this fragrance is relatively unknown, I love Black Opium but most girls recognize it, it's nice to have something different ( and cheaper ). For me the projection is strong but not overpowering, but I have to be careful when it comes to over spraying scents with a lot of vanilla or I'll get a headache. Longevity is decent, it usually lasts up to 6 six hours. If it wasn't for the extremely spicy citrus notes at the beginning, I would give this perfume 10/10.

So, I haven't been on here much lately because my perfume obsession interferes with my "pay my home off sooner" plan. However, the other day I found myself obsessing over Lolita Lempicka L because the weather is getting colder and (even though I have two bottles stashed away for my daughter - her name starts with "L" and she's a real mermaid girl) I've used up all of my own last bottle. So, I found what looks to be the only reasonably priced bottle left on the internet (about $110)and I was about to add it to my cart when I decided to take a look on here first. Tada! Tendre Madeleine - and it's on Ebay for under $20 for a 50ml!So I got it. It arrived today. OMG! Yes, so much like Lolita Lempicka L! Now I'm interested to try the Vanilla Violet, Vanilla Pamplemousse, Figue Sauvage and Prune Jasmine. Sorry credit card...but it's still less than the $110 I was going to shell out for one bottle of Lolita...

Certainly yummy, but my skin brings out enough bergamot and musk in this to make it go from candyland to *not quite* I'm-going-to-eat-my-arm-RIGHT-NOW. L de Lolita Lempicka is the obvious reference here, indeed. That was my first thought even before I had seen that a lot of people agree with it, so it must be quite literal. However, I find it leans closer to Givenchy Organza Indecence - the OLD VERSION, mind, not the travesty that is the reformulation (and I am not usually the one to bitch about reformulations!) - than Xerjoff Lira. So yeah, I guess L was dressed in Organza when Lira came over and they did some Indecent things to make baby Madeleine.

I love the vanilla, citrus and wood in this! Reminds me of Elizabeth & James Nirvana Bourbon. I was on the fence about that one for about a year now. These are NOT my kind of scents but the wood in this and Bourbon keep making me take another and another whiff! This is DELICIOUS! Sweet and creamy! How is this not listed as a gourmand??? Ok, I will buy a small bottle of Bourbon because it smells like it contains MORE wood and citrus AND the bottle looks better.😉 FYI, this review is coming from someone who loves fresh, flowery and clean scents. OH, and a review coming from someone who cannot stand Lolita Lempicka fragrance.

I bought the perfume because of the faint memory I had of L de Lolita which use to be one of my grand mother's perfume and my favorite. Because of that i wont be able to tell if this is an accurate dupe or not. The first note you get is bergamot which put me off a bit at first but the dry down is definitely better.Ii personally get a more spicy/sweet note after but the bergamot is still fragrant. I really like it but I feel like it would be more suitable for someone a bit older.

I find it sweet upon application with just a hint of tartness from the bergamot and orange zest. I find the cinnamon very retiring (almost non-existent in fact which is too bad) with the almond and woods more apparent. And of course vanilla. I definitely get the musk note in the drydown. I tend to generally like gourmand fragrances so this is no exception. Even so, I don't think it's a love nor something I have to own since I don't find it overly original.

I've had this bottle for almost 3yrs and I've only wore out about 5 times maybe, I never really gave this the attention I should've but hey, better late than never. This is paradise for a gormand head! (in Paula Deen'voice) I smell butter! cinnamon,almond and orange. It's time to bake some cakes and cookies yall! As always, I’m sending y’all love and best olfactory endevours, from my nose to yours.

very, very citrus opening. bergamot and i smell orange but don't see it listed as a note. this phase leaves quickly, thank god! i'm not a big fan of citrus. the dry down is still brighter than i would like from the citrus but the nice cinnamon and vanilla come in. it's an OK scent but i would not buy again.

Delicious, creamy, chocolate, cookies, milk, vanilla scent. It smells so great! at the top, mid and base. I get whiffs of this sometimes and just think this smells so gooood! Only downside, terrible longevity, for me not more than two hours.

Opens like a sweeter Dolce Vita, and ends like L de Lolita Lempicka. It doesn't last long and the base notes are somewhat common (what you pay is what you get I guess) but I really want a full bottle:) Nicely done!

Delicious, sweet, bready fragrance. I've never tasted madeleines before, but this fragrance does well in describing how they would.

It's ok, tart with citrus strong the first 20 minutes. Thank goodness it mellows down to sweet vanilla

Reminds me of Ambre Narguile. Don't last that long... The spyciness fades and then smells cheap.

Edit: So 6 months or so later I sprayed this. I guess I now believe in maceration. It smells NICE. Much less sharp, soft to the skin, spicy candied lemon. I am shocked and happy. ———————————————— I really dreamed to try this, and ordered a 50ml bottle for $35 from overseas, super excited. I love gourmand perfumes, especially the ones that smell like real cakes, butter, whippet cream etc. EDIBLE. But... this is not edible. It’s quite aftershave-y for about 15 min. Then it becomes very ambery/musky woody vanilla. Still does not smell edible to me.

I had high hopes when getting a sample of this from reading the comments, but was a little disappointed. All I get from this is spiced dried fruit, (dates? apricot? or prunes?) very festive. I'll enjoy my 5ml sample on the run up to Christmas but to full bottle worthy to me. Don't get much vanilla in this, and a little too lemony, which is a note I don't particularly enjoy.

This one's okay, but not quite what I expected. I've heard it being described as very madeleine cake-like, so that caught my interest and I ended up buying a 5mL decant of it from Surrender to Chance. I dabbed some on a couple of minutes ago, and the top notes did smell foody but also somewhat masculine, like aftershave. I think this impression might be resultant of the particular concoction of notes other than vanilla used to compose this fragrance (especially the cinnamon, musk, and bergamot). This 'masculine' note also reminds me of 80s perfumes for some reason (e.g. Downtown Girl by Revlon), which is quite displeasing to my nose. I can't see myself wearing this a lot, but I will definitely keep wearing it every now and then.

Tendre Madelaine is a sweet, sugary-tart lemon that almost makes my cheeks pucker. It’s very pleasant and light, and reminds me of Al Rehab’s Soft in a spun sugar lemon kind of way. It’s rather sweet and innocent, simple and tender. Then, right after the “aww, cute” moment, after about 30 minutes, it takes a turn into slightly richer territory—it smells musky and a tad animalic. Just a tad, nothing really dirty—it’s just not cotton candy any more. It smells like very nice limoncello, the Italian liquor, which is sweet and sort of syrupy but tart and robust too. It starts to develop a light grassiness to the scent, and the white musk-y-ness becomes slightly more prominent. After about an hour, a sweet vanilla note combined with a whiff of cinnamon makes an appearance. Lemon sugar cookies, yum! Yes, I know, you are thinking—there is no lemon listed in the notes! I think what I must be detecting is the bergamot. I started contemplating this perfume before reading the notes, and I will tell you that this smells like lemon. I know bergamot, and this is too light and juicy to be bergamot in my opinion. This is quite similar to L by Lolita Lempicka—the combination of lemon, vanilla and cinnamon—but I think this may be a bit sweeter. The drydown could persuade me that this has a bergamot note. It is getting richer and rind-ish, less juicy and less sweet. The cinnamon has also gone in a less foody direction, being a rather dry and bark-like cinnamon which is very pleasant. This is lovely. If you like L by Lolita Lempicka, or Soft by Al Rehab, or just a light sweet citrus scent that isn’t excessively sweet, nor an aquatic citrus, I would recommend giving this a try. Sillage is fair, longevity at least 3 hours. Edit: This actually has lasted >7 hours and is still fairly strong. It developed a toast-and-jam kind of scent, a toastiness like browned bread with the fruity sweetness. It's warm, kind of homey, but still bright.

Absolutely Delicious! A spicy lemon cookie, but more warm then spicy. A wonderful gourmand. It smells edible like you just finished baking some lemon biscuits with cardamom, yes cardamom. I know it is not listed in the notes, but apparently the mixture of these notes makes it smell like a sweet lemon cookie that was spiced with cardamom. The initial spray is slightly sweeter then the drydown. I started smelling fresh cardamom that has just been cracked open, reminiscent of Kheer, a Persian rice pudding dish with almonds, raisins, and cardamom. I would say this smells like a warm bowl of Kheer with a side of a lemon wafer. Perfect for Windy days, Spring, Fall & of course Winter. I say Windy days because this one needs some Air to get some silage. I sprayed it in my house and couldn't really smell it unless I stuck my nose to my wrist, but as soon as I stepped out, and I am not exaggerating here, I got a big whiff of it, and over and over again after that. Delish! A light gourmand that is really unisex because of the spiciness to it. Lovely! Now I am hungry. I must try more from this line! :-) Enjoy! Edit 2013: Very similar, smells like L De Lolita Lempicka, but I honestly prefer L.

This perfume does indeed have that sugary and buttery aroma of madeleines. It has that air-soft quality to it that definitely reminds you of the soft and delectable texture of sponge cakes. This is a fairly linear fragrance; it opens up with bright lemon and orange zest, powdered sugar, and warm vanilla, and pretty much stays that way in the drydown too. There is a prominent cinnamon note here that will definitely bother some noses, but it provides an excellent spicy aroma that gives it a very homely, fresh-from-the-oven feel. This is 100% a bakery gourmand scent and smells completely edible. There is a bit of musk in here to lend it some perfumey-ness, and guaranteed this will make those around you want to devour you! This has a medium longevity of 6 hours and stays relatively close to the skin, which is a good and bad thing depending on who you ask. The sweetness can definitely be cloying to some noses, so the fact that it settles into a skin scent could very well be a good thing for you.

Smells like the name says: Madeleines. Opens with a boozy blast of bergamot and cinnamon, but once the alcohol evaporates, what is left behind is a sweet citrus-vanilla scent. The dry down is a little more musky and sweet, still very pleasant and comforting. The almonds are almost shy, but still there. Tendre Madeleine is not a complex scent: what you read as listed notes is what you get. But this doesn't keep this simple composition from smelling great. It's warm, cozy and uplifting. Lasts fairly well on the skin, specially if layered with the other products (shower gel and lotion) from the range. By fairly, I mean 4-6 hours, but that's already a lot, considering its price tag. Sillage is weak, it is more of a skin scent.

Les Senteurs Gourmandes TENDRE MADELEINE diverges fairly dramatically from my concept of madeleine, particularly in the cinnamon opening. I would say that TENDRE MADELEINE is closer to a cinnamon sugar cookie or something along the lines of Pepperidge Farms Bordeaux. The cinnamon is shortlived, however, and TENDRE MADELEINE develops swiftly to a butter residue drydown that reminds me very much of the butter flavoring used on microwave popcorn, except that here it is sweetened by a touch of vanilla. TENDRE MADELEINE is my least favorite of the Senteurs Gourmandes line that I've tried, but for gourmand vanilla lovers looking for a creamy sweet butter drydown, you'll find it here.

Unlike some other reviewers, I don't perceive this as a pure gourmand. It's certainly dominated by the gourmand element, but it's also got a dry/woody aspect that helps prevent it from being more of a food flavoring than a "personal fragrance." I get more of an impression of lemon than straightforward lemon and I don't find it to be outrageously sweet. The white musk isn't of that piercing type that I abhor, and it seems potent enough for the retail price point. So, the only issue for me is if I've got something similar enough to make this redundant, but at the moment I don't think that's the case, despite acquiring several gourmand fragrances lately.

Tendre Madeleine, my precious, sweet little gem. Uncomplicated, unpretentious, just wafts of warm, light, delicious spices and a thread of fresh bergamot that only enhances it's coziness. Just like it's namesake, Tendre Madaleine is a delightful indulgence for me. It has soft projection and lasts 3-4 hours on my skin, which doesn't bother me a bit. It is a personal scent that gives me such joy! Without doubt, I've never gone through a bottle of perfume faster. Absolutely feel the relationship to Lira and suspect I'll invest in a bottle once I can no longer find this spectacular treasure.

This is yummy, vanilla, slightly citrus, and uni-sex but leaning slightly masculine on me. Love it! It's perfect for any occasion and lasts 5-6 hours. I had a sample of Dame Black Flower Mexican Vanilla that I brought on vacation to New Zealand and I thought had a very similar unisex vanilla vibe to Tendre Madeleine. I think the Dame Vanilla was more complex overall so I may get that one if I ever use this bottle up. P.s. I recently bought the Lira hair perfume and can say it smells very much (95% same) like Tendre Madeleine.