Fleurs de Bois

Miller Harris can add my name to the list of those who just adore them, as well! Each and every perfume I have smelled by this House, has been absolutely stunning. Their scents are pure, natural and sublime while managing (somehow) to be complex and well-blended... Fleurs de Bois is no exception. My packaging mentions these notes: "a tutored tasting of English flowers, woods and herbs mingled with exotic myrrh, santal and vetiver and Sicilian lemon". This opens brightly, but is not too sharply or too citrusy. I love the italian lemons and their clean (almost sweet) scent, and that scent is readily detectable here, along with a subtle "orangey" feel (mandarin, no doubt). Lavender is definitely present, but is neither soapy or too powdery, just clean and softly floral. Herbs (sage? basil?) smell fresh and delightful, like they were just picked or are still growing in the garden. As far as the oriental base notes go: sandalwood (santal) is detectable, cleanly woody and warm, layered with a subtle grassy vetiver and also the slightest whiff of a warm slightly spicy and incensy resin. This, however, is one of those beauties that should never be judged by the notelist alone, as it has to be smelled to be truly understood and appreciated. The "pyramid" listed above, sounds *Ho Hum...yawn* at best, though it is anything but boring. FdB is amazingly layered, but completely sheer and sooo natural. Notes tend to play "hide and seek" here, and "pop" out at you when you least expect them to, and this is one of those magical scents you apply, enjoy immensely and then forget about having it on...until someone tells you how AWESOME you smell (and they WILL)! NOT your cologne (or perfume) smells good, but YOU! Yeah, it's like THAT! Sillage: close but firm Longevity: good for a citrus scent Overall: 4.25/5 Citrus shmitrus...I thought!! HOW MANY citrus aromatics does one person REALLY need?? Let me let you all in on a little secret...if you like Citrus scents that are well-blended with clean floral notes and just the right amount of woods and aromatic grass and herbs-YOU NEED THIS! This transcends gender, and would do anyone justice at any time of the day, month or year; at any occasion or event. Natural and beautiful NEVER go out of style, so this would go great out to dinner on a spring evening...or just sitting around the house for that matter! I can see where some might say this is (vaguely) reminiscient of CHANEL No.19. Right now, I have FdB on my right hand and Chanel No.19 on my left. No.19 is soapier and very much more floral and woody-green; while FdB is "fresher", clearer and somwhat more herbal. They ARE cousins...but one, she lives in the city and the other, she lives in the country. NEXT DAY: This scent was still readily detectable on my hand when I woke up and went to drink my first slurp of good strong coffee. Now though, the citruses were gone *sigh* and the greens were nearly spent and all that remained was a lovely (still detectable after last night's shower and washing my hands twice) woody warm loveliness!! SUPERB

The note pyramid for this great fragrance has always bothered me, so here's a complete list of notes from NST--galbanum, grass, lemon, green mandarin, rosemary, rose, jasmine, iris, oakmoss, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver and birch. That's more like it! The is definitely a citrus-wood-floral perfume, if you wear with generous sprays the galbanum-mandarin complement the notes throughout the wear, with a discreet iris note, a green, grassy note that last for several hours. When the citrus starts to fade, the florals come in, rain washed rose, jasmine, sweet LOTV, the florals are clean and light, they dance above the woody notes--birch, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, and the lovely fuzzy oakmoss. No musk present here, just crystal clear woods on a sunny spring day. This lasts for 7-8 hours, with minimal sillage, but you definitely tell that you're wearing it. I also have to agree with Sherapop below, I've worn this many times now and I sense something new every time I wear it, and it seems to have a different personality every time--such a great scent, and no one seems to know about it.

Fleurs deBois has become an instant favourite with me. I think it is reminiscent of Chanel 19 but purer - clean, green and springlike. Perfect for spring and autumn and more of a day perfume than an evening one. The description on the packaging is as follows: "A tutored tasting of English flowers, woods and herbs mingling with exotic myrrh, santal, vetiver and Sicilian lemon. Fresh and mysterious, complex and compelling..." I am a definite Miller Harris fan. I do not know Lyn Harris now but I did attend the same Primary and Secondary schools as her in Yorkshire, UK so there is some sense of wanting to support her endeavours. However I have fallen in love with the Miller Harris range of perfumes more because I find them so pure rather than as a matter of solidarity for a local girl! So many commercial perfumes smell 'chemical' to me. I like my perfume to smell clean and pure and 'real.' Fleurs de Bois did not disappoint.

OK I don't know where Fragrantica is getting their notes for this pyramid. This is a green woody fragrance with a deep oakmoss base--yes there is citrus on top but the heart notes are woods filled with flowers, the smell of dirt and lavender and mulching earth. The base is reminds me so much of Aromatics Elixir--no wonder because Oakmoss is listed in the ingredients. The character is definitely unisex--this is no Daisy flowergarden. It also is not a light summer citrus cologne. As others have noted this is a well blended perfume with distinct stages, and it smells like thought and quality were put in the bottle--its' not just another clean/fresh shampoo fragrance.

This is one of the most natural scents that I've been tried. Smells amazing, with flowers and herbs (and a touch of woods). Yes, is like walk in a floral forest. Complex and well made. Very unisex. More femenine in the opening (more flowers) and more masculine in the drydown. Longevity is very good (more than 7 hours) and sillage good in the first hour and close to the skin in the remaining hours. My favourite from this line. scent: 7.5/10 longevity: 8/10 sillage: 5/10