Secret Gardenia

Still hunting for that PERFECT dewy/banana-y gardenia and still mourning the loss of my beloved Marc Jacobs EdP (and while we're on the subject, Miller Harris, why did you do the dirty on me and discontinue Brighton Rock?! what gives?!) I've been trying a load of gardenia and tuberose centric scents to see if I can find something which can replicate or even outshine Marc Jacobs EdP and while I have found some gorgeous examples of how gardenia/tuberose should be done, none of them have quite done it for me, this one however scratches the itch the others have missed. As with all Miller Harris scents, the bottle is a clean, simple square shape with a solid feeling cap, in the case of Secret Gardenia, the bottle is opaque with a lovely matte finish that feels lovely to hold. The juice housed within the bottle is airy, young and summery, the initial opening is bright and aquatic, pear, yuzu and bergamot blend harmoniously with the watery notes and the overall effect is very fresh and almost cooling. For the first 10 minutes I actually thought this was going to take an unfortunate turn, something in the notes reminds me a little bit of the cotton flower scented water I use in my iron and whilst thats not necssicarily unplesant, it's not exactly what I'd choose in a perfume unless of course its something from the CLEAN line, but thankfully a soft mix of gardenia, violet and buttery ylang-ylang begin to peak out. For the rest of its life on my skin, Secret Gardenia is like a misty/dewy flower garden during a warm day, I don't get much of the woods in the base either, which means I can easily wear it during the summer and not find it too hefty. The longevity is good, 8hrs of wear with a moderate silage, perfect for daily wear and a great choice to wear to the office but personally, I'd save it for casual days off during the summer, it pairs quite nicely with flowy shirts and blouses and a pair of nice jeans or shorts, its just carefree, happy and uplifting! I frequent Marlborough a lot which is a market town and it has quite a few nice walks, and Secret Gardenia reminds me of Marlborough during the summer, I absolutely love it! 100ml Repurchase worthy!

So glad I ordered a sample of this before buying a full bottle. Until now I had yet to find a Miller Harris creation that I didn't love and add to my want list immeadiatly. Looking the notes I was expecting to love this straight away, however on first spraying it took me by surprise and has left me very much underwhelmed. It is so fresh, clean and aquatic that the only note from the pyramid I could pick out was the water note. There were vague florals but more like Water Hyacinth and Water Lily. An hour or so later I finally got some very fresh, wet Violet, delicate Jasmine and Pear. After 3 hours I'm still not getting the citrus or woods, though there is finally the lightest touch of Gardenia and Musk. The lasting power is good and development time is impressive. Projection is light to moderate. I think anyone could wear this safely, it's unlikely to offend anyone. For now I'm going to put my first impressions of Secret Gardenia down to the cooler temperatures we're having. There is plenty of the sample left for me to spend more time with this and it's possible warmer weather it will transform into something altogether more impressive. I hope.

I'm quite surprised by the coldish reviews below. This is such a beautiful scent, realistic garden of intoxicatingly fragrant white flowers with green stems, on a summer evening. In my mind this is what Gucci Bloom Acqua di Fiori was supposed to smell like, but it didn't. Secret Gardenia is long lasting and intense but in a fresh way, not heavy. In the drydown it gets a very slightly soapy vibe, and smells absolutely clean, I don't know if I ever smelled another perfume that evoked cleanliness so much, and I use a lot of green, citrus and watery freshies. It's definitely NOT unisex, it's as feminine as perfume can get.

This is so pretty, so feminine. I love smelling gardenias in full bloom and used to have my own gardenia plant. Secret Gardenia smells just as fragrant as real gardenias and I love that. Most perfumes that claim to have Gardenia are jasmine bombs, but not this one. In the air I can smell the powderiness of the violet, which I also love in perfumery. I really enjoy the airiness of Miller-Harris perfumes, and this one is no exception, but here the water notes add something special. I just love smelling myself while I wear this. Such an underrated beauty.

Received this as a free 14ml sample when I bought Violet Ida. At first few tries, I didn’t find it very interesting. It’s just a bit too fresh and light for me, but appreciated exactly this over time. Kept spraying it on my wrist to get that clean and comforting scent. Still don’t think it’s super interesting, but I like it nonetheless. It’s great for sunny days and for clearing your head. Edit: I can’t stop reaching for this. It’s light yet warm scent is addictive.

This is a fresh(hints of watermelon) gardenia/tuberose adorned with water drops after an afternoon shower in a lush garden. Young and innocent at heart, this white floral does not evolve much. Nothing complicated is presented here but overall it has a very pleasant scent profile. I can't agree with the previous comments saying this is a 'heavy' scent. Secret Gardenia is a lightweight white floral.

This is a lovely spring floral scent. The gardenia note is light and fresh and very beautiful. I love gardenia but occasionally it can lie heavy within a fragrance. Gardenia is the star here but she is presented delicately in this scent. She has staying power though - her delectable fragrance lasted for several hours. Possibly my favourite gardenia scent!

This is such a pretty, simple, poetic feminine floral, reminiscent of Nina Ricci's now-discontinued Premier Jour. I wear this when I want to wear something that smells natural and pretty, with airy gardenia sillage. This isn't a heady floral, or dated - it's timeless and amiable, and would equally appropriate on those younger or wiser in years.

Fresh, watery, white floral scent. Really nice for spring or summer. I can’t imagine anyone not liking this. It’s a bit floral, a bit aquatic, a bit green, a bit fruity (the pear comes through), but very fresh and light throughout. The sillage and longevity are moderate but it’s not surprising for a lighter scent like this.

I got this as part of a set from TKMaxx last year. Love this fragrance and it is a great alternative to Gucci Gorgeous Gardenia which I also love. This one also seems to be stronger and longer lasting. The pear and yuzu keep it fresh. The musk, sandalwood and cedar is a good mix with the gardenia and jasmine.

The longest lasting floral I've ever tried - sprayed at 7am, at 10pm I can still detect a faint hint on my wrist. Very impressive. As with most MH scents I've tried, it's also a really beautiful, classy blend of materials and a nicely balanced perfume. Clean, floral, slightly creamy and not too sweet.

Beautiful! It’s so fresh and ‘clean’. It’s not a heavy floral, it’s very light. Like a nice glass of sparkling flavoured water, it’s refreshing. I can smell gardenia but it’s not heavy at all and doesn’t over power. Would be great to wear after a morning shower in the summer.

A perfect fragrance for warm and hot weather, with beautiful dewy white florals that are refreshing and elegant. I enjoy wearing this at home and to the office. For me it’s a go-to summer daytime scent. Along with Hydra Figue it’s one of my favourites from this house.

This is such a calming scent for me. It smells like wet flowers, I feel like I'm in a flowershop. I felt happy and relaxed as soon as I sprayed it. I blind bought a 10ml, but I love it so much that I'm gonna get a 100ml full bottle.

This is great to have if you live in a hotter climate. I always reach for this on those super hot days when I can't handle something too strong and just need something clean and refreshing.

Might be the best summer fragrance of all time. Unique and super interesting smell. Smells great on me and received countless of compliments. Very sexy on a man! Truly underrated

This is one of my forever favourites. The last note is just sooooo beautiful. It is also very long lasting perfect for spring and summer

Young and vibrant, you’d enjoy it if you like diptyque’s do son

I’m a cool sweet / cold sugar girl and light florals are not my usual wheelhouse, but I was really intrigued by this perfume, to the point I actually paid £5 in shipping for a £7 sample from MH directly. I have no regrets, to my nose this is somewhat similar to French Flower by matiere premiere but more sophisticated, less strong (and honestly better!) the gardenia smells a little similar to tuberose to me, it’s a sweeter white floral than other gardenia perfumes, the jasmine is also prominent and very realistic, like I’m outside a church. The ylang-ylang in the background keeps this creamy, I get a little woodiness but not as much as notes would suggest, just enough to round things out. The pear is my favourite note in this perfume it provides a lovely youthfulness to this elegant fragrance. Very timeless for spring and summer. Lasts around 7 hours on clothes and 5 on skin, I can catch whiffs but I can’t attest if anyone can smell me wearing it. I LOVE wearing this during a sunny day at the office. I feel sophisticated! And I do think that though it doesn’t last as long as I’d usually demand, it’s really nice. I think I will revisit when I’m a bit older and can’t do the sweet sugar anymore.

Secret Gardenia it’s mainly a floral forward fragrance, very airy, fresh, green, aquatic and springy. It’s a light scent and every whiff I catch in the air makes me think at flowers covered in the morning dew. Crisp and fresh flowers that you walk through in your garden in a sunny spring morning, with a freshly cut bouquet in your hand. It opens green and aquatic but the white and yellow flowers from the middle notes come through very nicely and rounds out the scent. Luckily for me, since I don’t like violets, the violet is muted here and somehow gets lost on my skin. From all the listed base notes the cedar and the woods are the most prominent on my skin. Can’t really say that I get any musk in here. I think that Secret Gardenia is perfect for a bride or a bridesmaid. It’s so feminine and bright but also elegant and classy. The matte white bottle with the golden cap would look stunning in the photos. The price is not too bad considering that Miller Harris it’s a niche house, it’s very comparable to the latest designer releases. The performance is moderate, lasts around 6 hours with moderate to minimal projection after the first hour.

Glad that Fragrantica has listed this as a unisex fragrance. On the Miller Harris website here in the UK, it is listed as a feminine fragrance which I couldn't disagree with more. Indeed, perfectly unisex to my nose, with those soft fruity white floral notes in the opening continuing to dominate well into the dry down. Smells very fresh & clean as well. Indeed, a pleasure to wear as a straight man. Strength & Longevity, though, are the main fragrance's weaknesses. I would have preferred it to be a bit stronger & longer lasting for the price I paid for a 100ml bottle. This problem can quickly be resolved with a top-up from the other 14ml bottle I purchased. The complimentary body wash, purchased separately, is a fascinating, worthy addition. Upon its purchase, back in the summer, I wore this to a private function at an expensive wine bar in London to which I was invited. There, I received numerous compliments wearing this from some very nice-looking young women, which I wasn't expecting.

Wow, very chic and beautiful green floral ! I'm happy because it was a blind buy. It's a really good surprise. It reminds me something of my chilhood, the name could be "Gardénia Souvenir". I don't remember when or what, it's like it's a memory from my imagination. Maybe good memories have a smell like this... This perfume has a resemblance to Marc Jacobs Perfume and Envy Me by Gucci. The sillage is powerful, the aquatic and green notes don't mean it's light... I've only sprayed it twice and I feel an intoxicating scent. I think it's not a summer scent, it may be too loud with hot weather but it's clearly for sunny days... The musky drydrown is very confortable and soothing... Base notes remind me Very Valentino too. Perfect for spring days !

7.5/10. This might be the most wearable white flower fragrance I've smelled. The name secret gardenia is a misnomer, as it is a strong gardenia fragrance. However, my husband noticed the pear before the gardenia. It's very fresh and the closest I've found to an easy reach for a white floral fragrance. Lasts about 2-4 hours, but still longer than other MH scents.

Pretty enough - a sweet and fresh floral, I get a lot of honeysuckle. The top notes feel very fresh and aquatic, and the Jasmine and gardenia keep very light and pretty. I get no musk, no lactonic notes. Dries down to a less fresh white floral with sandal wood. Nice, but a bit boring

Looking to sell my bottle. Partial, comes full presentation. UK shipping only.

Bought this sample cause I’m in love with finding the best gardenia . I have found two that have hit the home runs with me - Gardenia Petale - Vans Cleef and Gardenia / Tuberose - Estée Lauder . As for Secret Gardenia, it started out how I like perfumes . Fresh , aquatic and reminded me of Amouage ‘s Reflection ( I have a bottle ) with its fresh , green freesia and violet notes . Then it turned indolic/ animalic with the Jasmine .I don’t like it when this happens as it becomes too spicy for me . Can’t smell much gardenia which is a shame. I love my white florals but I can’t do spicy notes . This affected me smelling me anything else , no musk or woody notes . It’s a no for me .

Secret Gardenia is pretty but not special if you know what I mean. A watery, fresh, gardenia scent. It's so watery it almost smells like there's lotus in here. It's safe and pleasant, and would make an easy buy for someone like my mom who loves her white florals, but it's not really knocking my socks off. Pretty, realistic, but not new. I've definitely smelled this before.

I do seem to love a few offerings from Miller Harris. I also love gardenia scents. But not this one. This is a good example of what not to do with gardenia. Rather forgettable and utterly uninteresting. If only it could match the beautiful bottle and hefty price tag... It is very pretty, though.

A heavy floral. The middle notes steal the show in this one. Can't say I detect much else as far as the top or base notes go. The violet sticks out to me the most and reminds me of Halloween for women. Its nice, but go easy, it could be noxious. 5/10.

Expected this to be fresh and clean based on the notes and reviews, but it's very sweet and mostly just jasmine. Could work as a pretty date frag. Not bad if you're into sweet florals, but not something I'd wear.

This falls very flat for me. Very shampoo like. Smells like an aquatic gardenia shampoo or body lotion. Not up to the quality that I expect from Miller Harris. Smells like a Bath and Body Works body spray. Very generic and boring. If you want to smell like a fake gardenia shampoo and just smell "clean" and not really smell like you are wearing a perfume then this is the type of scent for you but for me it really falls flat. I expect better from this brand. Very generic. Edit: I own Crabtree and Evelyn Summer Hill. Secret Gardenia wishes it was as good as Summer Hill. Summer Hill is 10 times the perfume Secret Gardenia is.

I was so hopeful for this perfume because of the notes and the accords. I would love a fresh aquatic white floral with pear, bergamot and jasmine....but all I get is milk, sadly. The lactonic accord from the gardenia overpowers everything else in this perfume for me. I've decided to stop trying gardenia perfumes because of this fragrance. If you like creamy white florals, it's worth a try though.

Subdued smell, grey water color......this is what comes to my mind when I smell it....don't get any white florals especially Gardenia from this one.

I love a a dewy, aquatic white floral perfume in general, and have a fixation with gardenias in particular. Obviously, Secret Gardenia is a strong, strong like. It's the perfect fragrance for a hot day when you want to cool yourself down, but still feel elegant. It does remind me of Amouage Reflection but, in typical Amouage fashion, something about Reflection was a bit too much for me. Secret Gardenia is airer and more delicate, while still retaining its zen, green personality. It smells stunning on clothes, the fruitiness of the nashi pear comes out stronger on fabric but this is a floral perfume first and foremost. They smell different but it has the same green floral vibe as Tuberosis by Laboratorio Olfattivo. J'adore Parfum D'eau also hits the same spot for me as Secret Gardenia, so I'll probably just repurchase J'adore Parfum D'eau as I can't be without it too long, but this is truly gorgeous and I'd be happy to own a bottle if I found it discounted.

I had a lot of expectations from this perfume, partly because of the notes of the composition that I usually love, partly because of the reviews I read here on frag. so enthusiastic But the reality is that it is something I have already heard and not only that, but that I also own, that is Tous by Tous and 212 Carolina Herrera, especially Tous, a crystalline floral, with gardenia that makes everything clean and slightly lactonic, my fault for I bought blindly, with a €20 I get the same effect, not that it's a bad perfume mind you, but honestly I have something created 20 years earlier for a tenth of the price paid TOUS

I first ordered a sample of Secret Gardenia, and then a 14 ml bottle. This fragance is slowly but surely making its way to my favourite summer scents in spite of a low sillage and longevity. It is a lovely scent for when the temperatures start to rise a little (spring and summer in Europe). I love the crisp opening with the yuzu and bergamot, but my favourite part is when the violet starts to emerge to gently supports the gardenia and jasmine notes. This fragance is easy to wear, and takes time to appreciate (for someone who prefers stronger fragances).

I really love this! I like gardenia fragrances in general but this one is so unique! It's light and summery. The aquatic gives it airiness and is not so overpowering that it takes away from the gardenia. It's sweet but not so much that it's in teenager territory. The fruit and little bit of green make the fragrance come alive. I think it's the perfect spring and summer daytime fragrance. I bought the sample box (scent library?) from Miller Harris for this and I will definitely be buying the big bottle of this.

As @Hgf2008 says it lasts all day! This is a white florals with aquatic mix! Clean girl but not as lite as a musk. Very nice and perfect for spring. Excellent for daytime wear and sillage is very feminine and very much longer than arms length! Keeper since I love white florals (especially gardenia, they were in my wedding bouquet). Creamy white florals 8/10 may not be for everyone!

I sampled this yesterday and it really does reminds me of the Marc Jacobs fragrance in the plain bottle. They are both gardenia heavy fragrances that are rounded by sweeter notes and NO vanilla thank goodness. I can still smell it on the blotter and it still projects so the longevity is great. A great fragrance overall and a good dupe of MJ EDP.

Transparent, fresh, aquatic and very clean gardenia. Adorned with violet and a bit of musk. Very office friendly, light, feminine and classy. Weird, but on my skin it reminds me a little bit of a very diluted J'adore, like if you put a drop of good old J'adore on a glass of cold sea water. Nice, but a sample is more than enough for me.

Marc Jacobs eponymous perfume for women was one of my absolute favourites and I was so sad when it was discontinued. It was one of my favourite florals. This is as near a dupe for it as I can find so I am so happy! Have yet to check longevity and dry-down, although with Marc Jacobs that was never that great, but this looks promising!

I discovered this fragrance with the Miller-Harris discovery set. It wasn't really on my radar, but since gardenia is one of my favorite notes I was excited to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed. In my opinion, sometimes gardenia can be very heavy, but not this one. It's very fresh and light. Very suitable for the office.

Very soapy and fresh. I'm getting some greenness that dissipates into a sweet water. The gardenia is there but it's not strident. Very beautiful scent. I can't speak to longevity because I just put it on, but I would expect this to last a few hours at most based on how aquatic it is.

Ohhhhh this is GOOD good. I can’t stop sniffing my wrist, good. Soft, powdery fresh floral with a beautiful balance of gardenia and jasmine. A bit of an aquatic freshness, crisp pear, a touch of sweet citrus. Immediately shot to the top of my wish list.

There is nothing "secret" about this gardenia...lol. It is like a blast of white flowers and for some reason, I'm totally here for it. I usually hate strong florals but this is very interesting. Unfortunately, it only lasts about an hour on my skin.

I purchased a 2ml sample and I really liked this scent at first sniff but it reminded me of something I already had. It reminds me of Diptyque Do Son eau de toilette but lighter and with a touch of floral.

This is lovely. I was a bit concerned about the violet note, but fortunately it’s very low key. I like this so much I bought the shower gel as well.

smells like j'adore l'or (2023) dior to me. very sweet and a bit too sweet for my liking, just as j'adore l'or

Citrus coconut /oily scent Aquatic green or coconut notes turns odd on me So this was expected

Secret indeed. Doesn't last at all. Watered down gardenia, like pond flowers.