Pivoine Flora (2015)

equal parts musky, green and floral, absolutely delightful! sits really close to the skin, feels familiar yet fresh. think meeting your secret lover in the woods at dusk, they bring you a bouquet of peonies. your kisses are chaste but there is hunger beneath them, for which you don't yet have a name. a bit "romeo and juliet," "love story" by taylor swift, medieval and star-crossed.

Beautiful beautiful peony musk, with beautiful green undertones. Very fresh and inviting, and it invites lots of compliments. It's very natural smelling, very floral, and very very pretty. The sandalwood base is smooth and comforting, and it lasts well, over 9 hours. It's gorgeous.

The Pivoine Flora EDT we know, just repackaged. A lovely, natural floral green peony/rose combo with aquatic undertones. Shy projection and moderate longevity, but it is a spring/summer stapple for me. Alas, no option to upgrade to the EDP anymore, as it has been discontinued.

Pivoine Flora is all fresh, airy, even crisp peony, with the barest hint of youthful, plasticky rose. As others have said, it conveys a 'just out of the shower' feeling, making it great for counteracting the discomfort of too much heat and humidity or, in my case, when I have to be around people IMMEDIATELY following a workout. Combined with modest but present projection and about 6 hours' longevity this is a perfect go-to scent for sunny spring and summer days. And I really can't emphasize that post-workout point enough. I'll also say it's long-lasting in the sense that my little splash bottle will turn 4 years old soon, has traveled with me across the world undergoing countless changes in temperature, pressure, and humidity, and has not lost a bit of integrity. It smells the same as the day I opened the box. Another reliable gem from L'Occitane!

So, I have the lotion of this, and I am IN LOVE. Story: My office is fragrance free, so my morning pick-me-up is fragranced lotion that doesn't have much sillage. I wanted the Jo Malone Peony and Blush Suede scent, but they only make body cream, not lotion, and it's way too expensive. So I was on my way to Sephora to test and likely buy the Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet lotion, my second choice. I passed by L'Occitane and figured I might as well try them out. This is girly, sophisticated, pretty perfection. It is actually like a mix of the Jo Malone Peony and Blush Suede + Dior Blooming Bouquet, but for half the price! I feel like a French beauty in a field of peonies when I wear this lotion, and it makes my hands silky soft. It is expensive and beautiful. I will be trying the perfume on my next trip to the mall for sure!