Fleur Defendue

For me this is the luscious "lemon curd" LL. It makes me feel lighthearted and carefree, so it's perfect for a spring day. Heavy on the almond and with a sweet aura of fresh lemons. The licorice/anise here is smooth, but the scent is sharper and greener than any of the other flankers I've tried. If it wasn't for the addition of the gooey lemon curd zestiness, and if two eau de toilette variants of LL didn't already exist, this could have easily covered ground by being the only LL EDT available. I'm one of the people who much prefers the original woody and floral Lempicka EDT, which is now hard to come by, with the silver top and diamante crystals adorning the body, over the newer lilac version with the bite taken out of it. But I put Fleur Défendue almost on par with that second, current, version. Fleur Défendue, for me, has the slight upper hand because I love the lemon here! While the current LL EDT contains peachy apricots on a light woody base, Fleur Défendue is thick with syrupy, creamy marzipan, suffused with sugary lemon! Both this and the current EDT are far lighter compositions than the EDP, with far less of the musk and licorice. Both are much more simplified than the EDP, somewhat linear in comparison and less complicated. Dare I say less ethereal? I find that I genuinely don't really get the chance in one springtime to wear all of the EDT variants. (As yet I do not own Blanc or Jolie due to this quandary). Maybe this is a moot point, but if you're not a collector, you may as well pick just one or two of the available EDT variants for spring wear, or else you mightn't find the time to use them. I adore Fleur Défendue, but I find that I literally only apply it during the springtime and early summertime - never during any other time of year. I apply it liberally and stink the whole house out good n proper. This is pure sunshine to my nose and feels vibrant and fresh. It has a gooeyness to it - it's resinous and has a touch of mossy earthiness to balance it out. With lots of sugary, smooth lemon curd, sometimes seeming exactly like freshly sliced lemon to my nose, but with lots of smooth creaminess added by the almond/marzipan/vanilla and the tasty licorice. The iris here seems to be what adds some of that powdery, earthy tone to the composition and the violet simply adds a cool and crisp air to it, without being distinct, just stopping it short of becoming too syrupy sweet. The peony is barely recognizable here beneath the lemony green "cherry" notes, and the same could be said of the mimose, but both help aid the smooth sweetness of the thick, foggy marzipan; working in perfect unison with that luscious signature LL licorice. I've found that this costs a bit less than some of the other LL scents, so if you're looking for sunshine in a bottle - thick, sugary, syrupy marzipan with lots of lemony zest and earthy, powdery undertones (that make this distinctly Lempicka), look no further! Can be bought for a song! It's the ideal counterpart to the Midnight variants and the EDP for day wear in warmer climates. The moment the sun rears its yellow head from behind those baby blue clouds, I don the Fleur Défendue like my life depended on it. It easily fills a room, but soon becomes a rather close skin scent, radiating around me like a bubble of sunshine. Also - if you're a fan of Nina Ricci's "Almond Amour", you're likely to enjoy this. Scrap the kiwi from Almond Amour and replace it with green apples, sweet lemon and a hefty dose of anise. That's Fleur Défendue to a T. It's also less cloying and sweet than Almond Amour. I only wish it lasted longer - three or four hours tops on me! But it's worth reapplying. Side note: I realized that I'm the only person here who thinks of this as a lemony scent, so I figured I really ought to write a review lest somebody be tempted to buy it for (black, liqueur) cherry only to find themselves ending up with lemon. The cherry here is certainly fresh/sour enough to translate to sugary lemon. Whether the note really is cherry or not, in this composition it's certainly zesty and sweet like a fresh homemade lemon curd. Picture some kind of lemon tart or cheesecake with little marzipan pigs (or a cluster of roses if you're so inclined) sitting on top, surrounded by bright red cherries and doused in powdery icing sugar. Possibly sounds a bit gross, but it smells delectable.

This fragrance is purely enchanting...the kind of scent that makes me fall in love with perfume all over again (as if I ever stopped). I've admired Lolita Lempicka since it launched, and I've coveted that gorgeous bottle, but I never bought it, because each time I tested it, the anise went wrong on my skin, and the whole composition got cloying in the drydown. I received compliments, so the anise note, which seemed unpleasant to me, obviously smelled good to others. In fairness, I've only tried Lolita from those little spray tester bottles received from orders at "warehouse" etailers, so there's really no way to tell how fresh the samples were. In any case, The First Fragrance has been "iffy" to me. Fleur Defendue, however, swept me off my feet. I purchased it originally as a birthday present for my 21 year old goddaughter, who is crazy for all the Lolitas. When I smelled the Fleur Defendue, I knew I had to have it. It's distinctive, original, and gorgeous. I can't say for sure that if you love Lolita Lempicka you would love this, but I'm pretty sure if you dislike Lolita Lemicka, you probably wouldn't like Fleur Defendue. It's "base" calls to mind LL enough that you can tell they're "related". While Fleur Defendue does have the unmistakeable Lempicka "Guerlainade", it's very, very different from the others in the line (on my skin, anyways). This scent begins with a cool, green feeling that's almost minty (but it doesn't smell like mint). I'm sure this is a blast of absinth (wormwood) flower. Rather than smelling like schnapps, though, this smells distinctively herb-like. Like a waft of something mossy, growing on a pathway, encountered when hiking in forests. I smell something sweet, too, like cherry blossoms and a hint of Maraschino. This cherry-almond-chlorophyl combo smells positively intoxicating. It gives the atmosphere of swimming in mysterious but soothing warm waters, glowing with bioluminescence. I do not pick up a typical anise note in this. I know anise is a note in the mix, but it behaves differently here than it ever has for me. Rather than add a sour sharpness, I think it enhances the warmth of the almond, which causes the cherry to seem effervescent; especially in contrast with the chilled greenness at the beginning of wear. The violet, peony, musk, etc. don't announce themselves to me. Rather, they blend into a perfect accord that make this a unified perfume, rather than a scent experience similar to eating a 5 course dinner. While Fleur Defendue is "gourmand", it's not foody. This doesn't smell like something I want to eat. It smells like a place where I want to escape. It's dreamy, and exhilarating, and I can't stop inhaling the fragrance from my own wrist.

I got my first Lolita Lempicka scent in 2007, and had both Fleur Defendue (green apple bottle) & the original Lolita Lempicka (purple apple bottle). It was hard to decide on a favorite- and I'm not sure I ever really did. I repurchased both a while back- so I'm wearing this one now for the review. Top Notes are Mimosa, Wormwood, Strawberry Leaf and Stems Greens. Smelling it, what I first sense is a smell from childhood... like wild strawberries and (maybe the reason I instantly loved this scent): classic Jergens cherry & almond lotion. For me- I can smell top and middle notes at the same time- though the 2hr fade does have its own distinct base scent. So see Middle Notes below- because they're also there from first spray. Middle Notes are Violet, Anise, Peony and Iris: This is the sophisticated edge that prevents this from being a lotiony or soapy scent. I get strong, sweet licorice-anise, with a touch of cherries. The anise & berries are heart of the scent for me. Base Notes are Almond, Cherry and Musk: I get a musky, anise-cherry face powder. This is juicy cherry juice, with a touch of strawberry. It's not synthetic cherry candy- or Tom Ford's dark cherry- but more of a garden & ivy, fresh cherries fragrance. It's the smell of my youth in Manhattan. Quirky, modern youth. I love this one- and the original- and they remain scents I will likely always love by association of a beautiful time in my own life. It's amazing in the heat of summer & fall. If you like the licorice scent of a non-cloying anise, and you enjoy the clarity of green-berry scents like Marc Jacobs Daisy- then this one may be for you. I know anise is such a hit-or-miss based on skin chemistry. I'd try to sample this one first, as it's unique, and likely not a safe blind buy.

Me at first spray: I want my money back! This is just the original in a new bottle color! Me at five minutes post spray: hmmmm. Maybe there's a little difference. Some fruit? Me at a half hour post spray: well, it's a bit lighter than the original. It's a bit more airy. Me at one hour post spray: ok, I like it. It is slightly different, it wears well and it may be more suited for warmer weather. But we'll see how long it last on my skin.... Me at five hours post spray: I love it! It lasts and lasts. It does have subtle differences that make it worth having both. I have finally found my gourmand that isn't too heavy for spring and summer. LL, you've done it again! This is clearly a flanker. Anise, almond, iris and licorice are all standing proud is this juice too but maybe it's the strawberry leaves, or the mimosa that brighten it up? That yellow apple stem represents the difference well because I think this is sparkly and a tad less eccentric than the original. I also think my love (and nose) for it will evolve because there are notes listed that I didn't detect on first wear. And finally, I can't wait to experiment with layering this too! I may even get crazy and layer this will Elle L'Aime. The two together might make summer really amazing for me! If youre on the fence on this one, I'd ask two questions: 1- are you a LL lover in general and 2- are you looking for a warm, powdery gourmand for warmer weather?? Is the answer is yes for either, don't hesistate. Go get some!

It's finally happened--I am in love with a "Fruity Floral Gourmand." You can't say I don't give everything a chance, haha. This is way more than a sweet sugary cupcake type thing, though, it is exquisitely done, more French Bakery vs. Dunkin' Donuts (not that there's anything wrong with D&D:) Fleur Defendue is primarily a powdery, musky almond perfume, those notes stay with the perfume for the entire wear. There's a hint of greenery and mimosa on the topnotes, a sweet, fresh cherry note that peeks out for a few hours, some light florals and iris in the heart, and a delectable powdery almond croissant base. What I think of when I wear this is a bright, sunny bakery that sells croissants covered in shaved almonds and confectioner's sugar. The powdery musk is so almondy, but not really bready or sweet, but kind of butter-pastry dough baking in the oven kind of sweet. If you like almond perfumes you can't go wrong with this. The fruit notes smell so good, not like cough syrup or berry bubble gum, but just fresh and sweet like cherries are wont to be. The lasting power and projection are very good, I can smell this on my skin for over 8 hours. Lately I've become annoyed at how expensive so many perfumes are, it seems like most companies are hiking their prices way, way up, to a level I can't or won't pay for. So it's nice to find a well made perfume that smells great and performs well for under $30. I will have to explore this line a bit more.

A lot of people pin me for an LL kind of girl, but truth be told I'm not really. I admit I was pretty disenchanted with this line for awhile, never really understanding the hype till I got this sweet little baby in a trade. This fragrance is soft and child like. Although I want to point out, this isn't the kid that's only seen and not heard saying only "yes mam no sir" this kid has spirit. The top notes of fleur defendue are green, sharp, and a little weird. I can smell the beginnings of sweet powderyness like this little kid is out playing in the yard, covered in grass stains, and is digging in a sandbox filled with talcum powder instead of sand. The powder notes only get stronger and stronger, for me who is still finding her foot holes in appreciating powdery perfumes I found it a bit off putting yet oddly nice. I could smell the yummy fresh black cherries, maybe that's what reeled me in. I thought of a bowl of the pitted kind. A little kids hand feeling around for the bowl on the counter top, maybe slip a few in before dinner time ;). Not that I ever did something so naughty. Once the almond becomes clear in the base I love the powderyness in this fragrance. There is no longer anything alienating me because baby powder I don't do, but if you throw in almonds in the powder I'm more than game since I'm nuts for nuts. This fragrance is very innocent, demure, yet quirky and whimsical. It has a place in my heart.

This is such a gorgeous fragrance! The main notes of cherry and almond go along absolutely perfectly. It is not a sweet sweet perfume. It has charming bitterness in it from cherry stone centre nut and almond essence. You know when you crack a cherry stone and eat the nut (we used to do it as a kids), that little cherry nut has some kind of soft bitterness. Then when you smell concentrated almond essence it has similar nutty bitter notes. That is what you feel in Fleur Defendue immidiately. This velvety bitterness is soften by disciplined sweetness of dark cherry. Yes. Exactly disciplined cherry because you almost want to say this is a sweet cherry but you won't say it because it is still not sweet enough to call it sweet. Somewhere in the middle stage here or there you will catch quick violet and peony shy smiles behind cherry and almond marriage but they are soft and gentle. Altogether it is very rounded. smooth and silky elegant perfume, you want to breath it in all the time. The bottle is pretty as all Lolita Lempicka's perfume bottles, but yellow colour does not describe the fragrant juice inside at all. It should be deep cherry colour with shiny violet curls around. It last around 4-5 hours on my skin. Last couple of hours the fragrance is very close to my skin. In some way Fleur Defendue reminds me of Gloria by Cacharel..probably because of similar notes of almond, etc.

I deleted my previous review as i felt it didn't do this one proper justice. Recently these little gems have been showing up left and right at my local grey market store leaving me with a "?" kind of feeling. One would think that a semi-niche company like LL would be in nordstoms/ neman marcas ONLY. Last mothers day i bought a 3.4oz of this stuff for my step-mother, and she COMPLETELY loves it. For me personally, i get a highway pileup of almonds and cherry. Sort of combined in a way which suggests that they are blended well. Annick Menardo is my all time favorite perfumer, and this is no exception to what i expect from her. Sidetracking a bit, my good friend G.Perfumista told me that when something is executed so wildly, instead of being typical, it becomes the opposite. THAT is what i get from this fragrance. It is SO sweet, and SO girly that it comes off as being almost sophisticated and regal. The top of this is weird, there is SOME kind of creamy green mixed in with cheerfull peony. Violet calms the composition, and obviously is there to balance the girly sweetness with a nice moist/floral accord. The drydown is consistant, and is made of a mixture of both almond and cherries. They're very well blended and compliment each other extremely well. imagine a cherry/vanilla milkshake with bits of almond floating within. I approve Smell: 10 Longevity: 10 Sillage: 10+

This is the greenest of all Lolitas so far. Fleur Défendue really captures the idea of an opulent spring garden. Opens green and tart, like torn leaves and stems of a flower, with a piquant sensation that some people described here as an alcoholic scent. Even though I don't really know how does Absynthe or Vodka smell, I think the description fits perfectly, it's indeed an alcoholic/herbal splash. After a couple of minutes, the cherry will appear and become the star of this composition. It's sirupy but not too sweet, and certainly the right choice in terms of fruits, not to turn the fragrance into a fruity cocktail. Actually, Fleur Défendue doesn't really smell fruity, it's quite floral and keeps that green, piquant feel during a nice amount of time. Thanks to the cherry, that blends well with the herbal tones, and allows the flowers to speak up elegantly. Flowers play important parts in this fragrance, granting sophistication and femininity. As the fragrance evolves, it turns more and more powdery, but always in a delicate, polite way. It's certainly a great spring (or maybe even summer) fragrance, with a bright, light, elegant and fun character. Also an amazing choice for anyone who loves cherry or powdery notes. For me it's one more magical scent by Lolita Lempicka, that I'll be glad to wear on weekends, for long strolls in the park...

FLEUR DEFENDUE is an exotic, unique and voluptuous scent. It successfully mixes the sweet gourmand floral notes with the green, fresh and aromatic. This marriage of notes and styles produces beautiful and vibrant fragrance, which reminds me of a fairy tale vacation on a remote tropical island. I am thinking about exotic waterfalls, lush greens and fragrant flowers plus lots of fun and partying when I wear this scent. This fragrance is definitely compelling, interesting, sensual and chic. It starts aromatic and floral at the same time. There are licorice and light herbal notes mixed with the fresh floral scent in the top notes. The floral heart is mostly peony but there is also something aromatic like licorice or anise in the heart notes. In the dry down I smell the gorgeous black cherries spiced up by the almond scent. FLEUR DEFENDUE is slightly lighter and more floral than the original Lolita, so naturally it fits better for the spring and summer time. The sillage and longevity are medium. I definitely recommend it if you are looking for slightly aromatic and green gourmand scent. (This review is for EDP) Here are the notes: Top notes: Absinthe Flower - Strawberry Leaf - Mimosa Stem Heart notes: Peony -Violet - Aniseed Flower Base notes: Almond Musk - Morello Cherry Musk.

Thank you so much to the wonderful Kris919 for trading me this in a swap. If pearl-colored glitter had a scent, this would be it. Fleur Defendue is a silky powdery scent with an almond/cherry-tinged facet all the way through. It is somehow light and thick at the same time. My boyfriend said it smells like a freshly opened package of cherry lozenges, though to me, the cherry aspect is in the background. As many have said, it's a subtle scent but has excellent projection considering it is so subtle, and the longevity is pretty good. As Cake mentioned in her review, it is soft but it's definitely not weak.. It's MEANT to be soft. The anise is detectable and adds a spicy facet. The whole composition is so balanced, and has an almost chewy quality. Tried it initially during summer, but this smells much better and fresher during autumn , I think. This fragrance reminds me of either a young girl, or a very old woman wearing a long fake pearl necklace.. (or several of them) around her neck. Gentle, private and elegant. . My sister was horrified by the scent of this, but she's always been an extroverted athletic type of girl. Fleur Defendue is pretty much the opposite of that. PS- This fragrance is haunted, like a little girl with powder pouring out of her eye-sockets.

I hated this one at first and almost gave it away to a co-worker who ended up turning it down after taking a quick whiff herself! I couldn't even give it way! I ended up bringing the bottle home, resigned to keep the rank thing for the pretty bottle if for nothing else. One Sunday afternoon at home in my pj's I sprayed myself with it out of boredom and was shocked to discover that after the first half hour - I absolutely loved it! The initial spray smells like A&D ointment or diaper rash cream, its sour, medicinal and just yucky...now if you can stop yourself from making a b-line to the nearest bathroom to scrub it off you'll find that it develops into a sweet, soft more innocent version of LL. Think LL minus the spicy star anise & licorice. I definitely smell the almond and sweet powder, but not so much cherry at all. And the name "forbidden flower" does suit it IMO... it has an innocent sweetness to it, reminds me of a girl on the cusp of wonanhood, who still has no idea how alluring she's becoming to others. Be warned though, she's no tart, this girl loves to read. She's still obliviously jailbait though, therefore "forbidden" but all the more desirable for it. Yep, I'm glad I kept this. My only gripe is that it's very faint.

Revision: I decided to revisit this one today and I upgraded it to LOVE status. Maybe because it was a bit cooler today or maybe because I applied a bit more than when I just tried it, but it smells wonderful and lasted all day. I still don't really pick up almond, but the soft florals are just gorgeous. I've gotten compliments today, starting with "WOW! You smell so good! Can I just follow you around all day?" Like others have said, this is soft and not offensive. And I still stand by the "not gormand" statement, but now I LOVE, not just like this fragrance! --- end of revision --- I smell a little bit of every note in this, and I pick up a little bit of anise smell. (Maybe that's the almond, I don't know.) It doesn't smell like "wedding cake" almond, which is what I expected. It's a nice, light, springtime scent. This doesn't smell "gourmand" to me because I pick up more of the flowers. I like it but I don't love it, because I really prefer a scent with more sandalwood in the drydown. Edit: I forgot to mention that the top notes smell a whole lot like a grown-up version of Love's Baby Soft on me. But my chemistry is pretty odd.

In between a Fairy forest..The forbidden flower blossoms for the privileged ones. wearing this I feel like floating on a daydream! I had LL first frag and loved it but it can be overpowering sometimes but with this, The sweetness is so well managed that keeps close to the skin. Incredibly feminine, mysterious and sensually intriguing. Indulges you and the ones you want to keep close to your presence. Good for the day goergeous at night. If your body chemistry and personality suits well with Fleur Defendue it will become a signature one. ................................................... Dentro de un bosque de hadas... La flor prohibida florece para los privilegiados. Usando esto, me siento flotar en un sueño lúcido! Tuve la primera fragancia de LL y me encantó pero a veces puede ser demasiado fuerte; en este, el dulzor está tan bien manejado que se mantiene cercano a tu piel. Increiblemente femenino , misterioso y sensualmente intrigante. Te mima a ti y los que quieres tener cerca a tu presencia. bueno en el Día, genial en la noche. Si tu química corporal y tu personalidad concuerdan con Fleur Defendue, se volverá tu firma.

Fleur Defendue is a floral gourmand, but it leans more towards the gourmand category. It feels similar to original Lolita Lempicka, but it is less sweet, less dreamy and more womanly and sophisticated... I smell vanilla in this one, but it’s not listed as an ingredient. I get a similar fluffy vibe from it, just like with original Lolita, but every note in Fleur Defendue is drier, more opaque and this adds to its charming appeal... My nose gets bitter dry almond, a sparkling yet dark cherry, a lush violet, a touch of velvety musk on a soft pillow of opaque vanilla and an inconspicuous peony that holds everything together... This beauty whispers its allure on the skin with an evocation of powdered almondy silk, rounded out with violet and vanilla. The dry down is nutty, creamy and just a bit powdery, so unique and feminine! It is wonderfully long-lasting and sensual yet demure. Overall, it is a refined and polished fragrance, the most likable of the Lempicka’s in my opinion. It is not overly sweet, and I think that’s why it seems to attract more fans.

I don't really smell any noticeable resemblance between Fleur Defendue and the original Lolita Lempicka. The original has that iconic liquorice note that gives it it's bite. Fleur Defendue is like the bottled scent of cherry bakewell, a wonderfully achieved gourmand. Wearing it yesterday, my mum (who has a nose like a bloodhound), tried to describe what she thought of it. She said that it was the kind of fragrance where a woman entering the room wearing it would make any man forget what he was in the middle of saying. I think she's right; Fleur Defendue is potent, but plays innocent. Sexy without trying to be at all. You smell like cake and flowers, but it's too clever and balanced to be mistaken for something a little girl would wear. It really does remind me of a very simple, perfect cherry bakewell. When baking is kept simple, there's nowhere to hide mistakes, and there simply aren't any in Fleur Defendue. My bottle was purchased from FragranceNet this year and though I haven't checked the batch number it's in good condition.

So in LOVE with Lolita Lempicka! I have the re-release of the 1997 Original Apple shaped bottle & about six of the flankers... AND counting! For those of you who thinks that the flankers smells too identical or similar to the original, I'm here to tell you, There are DIFFERENCES! Like many fragrance houses e.g., Christian Dior's "Miss Dior", & Juicy Couture, their flankers have the same trace Dna. Lolita Lempicka is NO Different.... When you smell LL, just like Dior & Juicy Couture you can tell just that! FLEUR DEFENDUE (Forbidden Flower): It opens with the same passion as the original, minus the licorice and violet. PLEASE give it time to adapt to your body chemistry. It's green and aquatic, which stays with you from start to finish! This is a very sophisticated fresh, & gently sweet BEAUTIFUL & UNIQUE fragrance! To sum it up...Forbidden Flower is a Very Green & Creamy, Aquatic STRAWBERRY, with just the right touch of musk! It's perfect for warm weather, and the bottle itself, is a work of art! I really Love this perfume!

I really sense the mimose, anise, and violet. It took me a couple of wears to finally feel the attraction, but now it is there. It is lovely for spring. Not too sweet - although it does boast the same form of sweetness as the other LLs - it just isn't AS sweet. It's more of a fresh sweet scent, but by fresh I don't mean clean or soapy. There is just a spectacular balance between the sweetnesss, greenness, and flowers - a hint of powder and creaminess. I just find this to be a unique and sort of stunning blend. There's something glassy and cool about it. It's creative, an experience, but still feminine and pleasantly pretty. There is an odd note about this at first, some greenish bland nondescript offbeat note. I think it's best if you just don't stick your nose right into this scent in the beginning, because that is when I sense that note most. It is, however, really really pretty when it just floats in the air about you. And the green note blends in better the longer it wears.

I cannot understand why is it compared to original Lolita Lempicka edp if there is hardly any resemblance between them both? To me, Fleur Defendue is a very distant cousin to LL, if there is any ''family relationship'' at all. Fleur Defendue is a gentle, cheerful fragrance, somewhat creamy, less powerful than LL or Midnight, yet it is very feminine and good for everyday wear, either to office or a romantic walk down the beach at sunset. In my opinion it is more of a floral green rather than gourmand fragrance, Cherries and almonds make it soft and snuggly, while strawberries leaves (oh yes, they have not been listed but the note is one of the original components) add a bit of green twist to it. A hint of peony and violet petals make it a perfect spring-summer fragrance, they are not dominant, there is only a gentle echo somewhere in the background. Overall, it is a great fragrance with a good staying power and noticeable silage.

Interesting how divided the reviews are for this one, it nearly kept me from blind buying.. hearing it was a too-sweet, light version, I wasn't sure at all how I'd like it. I do love the original LL but something in it is a bit too dry, almost scratchy to me, and it unfortunately never made it into my collection. I couldn't get past it enough to enjoy the gourmand bits, it just felt somewhat sharp, with this silky, dark cherry underneath that I just couldn't get to. THIS one however turned out to be a lovely surprise -- it has all the qualities of the original, just turned down a bit. I don't agree that it's super light though, I'm wearing this now in about 70-75 degree weather and think it may be too warm for this. Soft, spicy, powdery, cherry liqueur-ish , deep, dark, and woodsy. This reminds me of some magical concoction being offered to you by a wood nymph, leading you deeper into the trees.