Shanghai Butterfly

This scent is hard for me to describe because it has so many layers, and I smell something smoky, even though it is not listed in the notes- maybe it could be the musk mixed with woodsy, powdery and spicy notes? My Signature scent is D&G Light Blue and I Love Love since they smell exactly the same to me, I smell these same notes in the middle notes of Shanghai Butterfly, but this fragrance has a more mysterious quality to me. To me it is a perfect multi-layered blend of scents. At first spray it is strong but in a few minutes it calms down into an intoxicating seductive scent with an alluring smoky pipe tobacco undertone-but pleasant, not overpowering-reminiscent of a classy, sophisticated old-world gentleman's club wrapped in cedar hardwoods from centuries past. I actually quite like this since it is so unique to anything I have ever smelt before. No mistaking, it is not anything like the "gentleman's" clubs of today, but rather beautifully antique, but NOT old by any means, it is definitely not your Grandmother's perfume, but instead rather young, but not at all Juvenile. When wearing it I almost feel as though I could be the lady in the Grace Kelly's L'Instant Taittinger poster wearing a sleek curve-hugging sexy but classy black dress with a glass of Champagne in one gloved hand and in the other a long bakelite cigarette holder- vintage, sophisticated, beautiful, but young. Wonderful, almost fantasy-like :) As time passes I still smell the smoky woody undertone, but it is lighter. A different feeling of time and place, but oddly one in the same- if that is possible. At this point I start to smell the clean citrusy notes which remind me of a beautiful sunny day with a light breeze filled with butterflies, carrying with it scents of fresh citrus fruits and clean summer air. It seems that most people open with the citrusy notes, but I don't smell these until later on. I would highly recommend this fragrance to anyone who looks for that "dream-like" quality in a fragrance.

I agree this heads down the light blue lane. If you like light blue and want something similar yet different (this is much more floral and less synthetic musky), you should probably be checking this out. This is a great anytime perfume. Has a very bright citrus opening of lemon, orange, and the green apple is tart with the skin still on. In the dry down I get mostly cedar, carnation, and rose. The carnation and rose kind of wind in and out from each other giving me sniffs of dry/spicy floral and sweet floral. I also do get a hint of LOTV. Side note when I first smelt this blind I swore there was green tea in here. I do prefer this over light blue, I actually don't understand the appeal of light blue when there are so many similar scents that smell less synthetic.

Shanghai Butterfly is the most truly feminine citrus perfume ever ! Unlike most other citrus scents, the top notes do NOT fade away. Pretty sour lemon tempered by apple, mixes with soft florals for a sweet beautiful perfume. No sweet sugared lemonade here, just gorgeous true lemon that remains throughout the dry down. A touch of sweet mandarin floats behind the lemon. Cedar is very light, not scratchy, softened by gentle white woods and soft sandalwood. The flowers are so well blended that it's hard to detect them individually. This perfume is smooth, with moderate but soft projection and lasts over 8 hours on my skin. Great for office, as it is non offensive. Absolutely gorgeous !

Just a short report: I had to get rid of Shanghai Butterfly due to mechanical error. I could hear a lot of liquid still inside (approx half full)but the sprayer for the life of me would not work. I'm not sure how common this is, and I did have a second hand bottle I found at a Salvation Army. Hope this doesn't happen to anyone else. I had Shanghai Butterfly 2-3 years before this happened. It seemed very random.

I regret not buying this one because now I can't find it anywhere. It's light but complex. Sweet citrus and pineapple on a sandalwood and musk base. In a way it reminds me of Light Blue, but it's somehow richer and has more depth. It's great for casual days.

This is a clean fruity a bit spicy fragrance.Its so easy to wear and I just adore the bottle.This is an every day fragrance that just seems best in Spring and Summer.It was a gift to me and I love it so much.

The first spray of Nanette Lepore- Shanghai Butterfly was a true blast of fresh air and happiness to my senses putting an instant smile on my face. :) This is my idea of the scent of "sunshine" and joyous emotions, good times and positivity. Cute little butterfly kisses! This is a smell for a girl or woman who wants to smell clean, sweet and inviting. Much like the yellow butterflies I've been seeing the past few days Shanghai Butterfly is light and fluttery YET bright and loud all at the same time. It starts out smelling of sweet lemony citruses, musk and green snow apple. Yes, its yells happy! The top notes dance around waving its wing right on past the flowery heart notes. If anything the flowers are the balancing act to create a beautiful femininity to the three powerful woodsy bottom notes (cedar, sandalwood and white woods). I can see Shanghai Butterfly getting loads of compliments from all sorts of people big and small! It has a captivating aura that will make people want to get closer to catch a whiff of this curiously cute fragrance. I guarantee it will put a smile on everyone's faces! I think lovers of D&G Light Blue or Moschino I Love Love would enjoy this fragrance but unique enough to appeal to all! AND the bottle is to die for!!

It's been a while, but I used to love this. Now it's very much tied to the past and I'm curious to see what I'd think of it now. It was spicy, green and woody. Worn year round, but my fondest memories were in late Summer into Fall. I was testing Oribe Côte d'Azur perfume (I don't use the rest of the product line), and that reminded me of SB. I'd say Côte d'Azur is more beachy and refined, there's something contemplative with Cd'A for me. Shanghai Butterfly is more fun in personality and strange (Cd'A more natural). When Shanghai Butterfly first came out, it was pretty strong--lasted long and fairly linear. I think when it was bought by another company (I'll update that info later!) it was the same scent but not as full-bodied and long lasting.

I bought this because I adore the bottle, so fortunately I like the fragrance enough to wear it from time to time. Light, citrusy woody, but acts strange on my skin: once the top notes begin to fade, I detect a rather sharp smell on me that I can compare to celery. Not a very pleasant phase, thankfully when this is gone it's the usual musky woody drydown common with fragrances like this. Not bad, but I still think the bottle is better than the juice, and there are many similar ones (seems like it's trying to be in the D&G Light Blue camp) that are much better.

Nov. 2019. I’ve worn this since it’s launch, off and on. Found it for sale a few years ago at TJ Maxx and snatched up 2 bottles. It has been a great go-to this fall. Still current. Living in Southern California, the blend of citrus, woods and musk is perfect in this area. It smells like things in the air this time of year. The citrus brightens it and the wood and musk give it that cozy, snuggly, feel. I’m liking it for casual wear; skinny jeans, baggy sweater, and Chelsea boots.

Doesn't smell anything like Sunflowers, Not A Perfume or Light Blue. It's a unisex-to-masculine leaning lemon cedar scent. As time passes it does start to smell more balanced and less like a cheap men's cologne. It becomes softer and the sandalwood and orange come in more and it almost becomes more minty. I like it and I will keep it because it's cheap and the bottle is cute. But it's definitely a bit more masculine than Light Blue, at least in its opening.

I've had this since its launch. It's been sitting for years, unused. Revisited it today. It's light, bright, crisp and clean. Wearing it today just for myself. Its wearing well on this fall day. It is long lasting on me. I won't have to respritz. This fragrance is suitable from spring through fall, dresses to jeans. Very versatile. A keeper, even all these years later. Still relevant.

it is not oriental.very fresh and lovely,smells like a plate full of mandarins and green apples.carnation comes lately and it gives a bit sharp smell.but i think perfect for summer,it is not sticky or sugary.

This scent came off as less citrus and more floral, with a pronounced 'nutty' note. Strange but somewhat likeable.

I think this is a Very Earthy Green smell with a bit of citrus it is nice and last quite a while!!

This is veeery woody. Starts of citrusy with a blast of lemon, but soon turns into a sandalwood-driven, quite masculine scent. Not my thing, but works when I want to use it to layer overly sweet scents.

The most beautiful packaging (lead to my blind buy of gift set at TJ Maxx) but all I smell is tons of musk that I don't like, and a little lemon. Or maybe its not the musk but the musk-cedar combination that bothers me? I smell a similar strong note in the heart and drydown of ET Violet Eyes, another perfume that doesn't work for me at all. This kind of perfume definitely works on some (many women smell fine in Lt Blue, for instance, which gives me the same vibe as Shanghai Butterfly in much gentler form, but I smell very masculine and over-musked in this type). Ever get so disappointed with a blind buy that you get mad and throw out the perfume and feel better when it is in the trash? That's what I did.

I ordered a sample vial of this from eBay. I didn't get Oriental from this at all. It was kinda grassy, and really reminded me of Lovely from Sarah Jessica Parker. A clean scent, but not one I'm going to purchase in the bottle.

Oh why does it smell like cheap eraser rubber to me?

smells horrible on me..i wasted my money!

Smells like lemons.... Nothing more, nothing less!! Super boring and it doesn’t last long. The spillage is also not very good. You might as well just bath in real lemon juicy.

I found this on eBay and purchased it based on these reviews. It was not very expensive and I wanted to try it since I have the pink Nanette Lapore. This one is totally different from the pink bottle; all I get from the pink one is chocolate and vanilla. It does not last long on me so I don't use it very often - plus I do not like smelling like food. Shanghai Butterfly is completely different as I do get somewhat of an oriental scent, but at first it just smells clean and fresh ( almost like a very nice dryer sheet). After a short time, the other ingredients emerge and together they are fruity and floral, but do not last long. I then get the oriental and woodsy aromas and that is what I love the most. It seems to last a fairly long time (I like to spray this right before bed because it seems to relax me and makes me happy.). I think it is suitable for any age; I don't get the 'old' or 'teen' vibe. I am over 60 and love any perfume that is different. I look on eBay all the time for fragrances made before the 80s because they are truly perfumes. I have said this before, but I will repeat; the celebrity fragrances (which are EVERY WHERE) all smell the same and cost way too much in my opinion. I think you would be better off purchasing the same scents at Bath and Body or any drug stores which sell their own versions. Or try the 'old retro' perfumes and colognes by Dana or Coty which will be available for the Christmas season. They may not be as good as the originals, but they will not all smell fruity, chocolately and full of vanilla. If anyone can offer suggestions of any vintage perfumes they love, I would appreciate it.

If D&G Light Blue is a pair of Louboutins then Shanghai Butterfly is a sturdy, well-made pair of Nine West stilettos. Some of us may be coveting D&G but need to watch our pennies. This is the economical answer to satisfying the D&G need. The longevity of this fragrance is very satisfying and the sillage even rivals its D&G counterpart. There is more of a sour apple in the opening but it isn't enough to really compromise the likeness to D&G. And to be honest, if I had to choose which bottle I would prefer to display I'd gladly go with the cheeky cyan bottle any day. At $10 I am in no position to do any kind of complaining and I certainly do not feel the need to shell out $60 simply so I can have a bottle that says D&G. No one needs to be the wiser! ____________________________ Edit: This is a strange bird of a fragrance. I am learning--on Fragrantica, other forums, and among friends and family--this fragrance is very mercurial if not downright polarizing. I think I am lucky that this plays well on my skin; my brother's gf tried it and spent an hour periodically scouring this off her wrist. She is still bearing a grudge for the experience. This is not a safe blind-buy unless you can find this for $10 and be okay with the gamble of either loving this or hating this (there is no "meh" when it comes to this fragrance).

Ok...of course, the bottle is adorable and that is of course what catches the eye first. The Nanette bottles are all just little works of whimsy and I love that. I sprayed this on this morning and thought "oh. Uh. No." It was so strange. The first burst was phenomenal...then the next 30 minutes was all grapefruity on me (must be the very tart lemon---grapefruit is kind of a cat pee note on me and this was ALMOST there)...and then the drydown is cedar and musk and I swear something to give it a kick of vetiver (not listed, but I get that woody crispness just like it). It has lasted 7 hours on me and is VERY likable. I'll be keeping this one! I can get through 30 minutes of strange citrus (was it the lemon and the jasmine? maybe so)....to get to this drydown. :)

Shanghai Butterfly to me smells citrusy with a bit of light floral then a slight spiciness. Almost like Green tea with a citrus zing. It has a very happy disposition. I have read other reviews that say it smells very young- it is not Britney Spears young smelling (aka cotton candy & raspberries) it may be a young form of an oriental but not a candy coated sweet scent in any way. It does not have that cheap powder smell which I cannot stand & find to be choking nor does it any big time vanilla scent to it another yuck factor for me- it is clean scent which I like Its great for daytime & I agree with another review- it does NOT last long enough.

I bought this sample for my niece and decided to give it a whirl. The opening smells very like a floral version of Calyx, then quickly begins to change. I'm tempted to call this a youthful, floral love-child of Calyx + Light Blue. I hope my niece will like this, as it is pretty, interesting and not overpowering. Lily of the Valley and other bold white florals are balanced nicely by the citrus here. Yum! Update - my niece loves this fragrance and it smells wonderful on her. I'm ordering her a full bottle for her 17th birthday.

I just came from Marshalls and found the 1.7 oz gift set of Shanghai butterfly it came with a 1.7 oz spray a 2.6 oz lotion and a roller pen all for $9.99 same as I paid for the single bottle! YAY! Such a good price and the box is so pretty it is black velvet on the bottom and has a satin lid decorated with the same decorations on the bottle! I also found the 3.4 oz Nanette Lepore pink bottle gift sets last week for $14.99 such good prices I am so exited about this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought this unsniffed at TJMaxx, mainly because the bottle is so cute. Unfortunately, the scent doesn't work for me at all. It's very heavy, and within a few minutes it is a very old-ladyish powder smell. I can just smell the spicy and fruity notes underneath, but they never make it to the top and it stays pretty much the same on me for the next few hours. Strong, sweet, powdery, and synthetic. I was anxious to try the original Nanette Lepore, but this one changed my mind.

This cute green bottle with a tassel,does smell a lot like Light Blue,but with a sweetness added. Though,something about it seems a bit "sticky",though. It is lemony,not citrus,but sweet lemon. Unfortunately, it wears close to the skin. Not much projection at all. If you like Light Blue,you might like this,and this bottle is way cuter,and the price is way better.

I can not find it anywhere.. I wonder if anyone knows what is Nanette's "Signature" like? A pink bottle? I can not see it here but I do like the composition: Moonstone Rose, White Peach, White Cranberry Juices, Magenta Nectar, Black Currant, Orange Jasmine, Persian Lime Juice, Velvet Violet, Amber and Indian Sandalwood.

This was too crisp/sharp for me so I gave it to my husband. He loved it. I have to admit that when I borrowed this from my husband during a vacation on the Mediterranean, the scent that hit me coming out of the water was beautifully soft.

i am getting pine or balsim from this somehow it smells like a xmas tree, I LOVE it, this is another one to add to my winter fragrances. only lasted a couple of minutes on me though, but I a gonna test it again and spray it a bit more.

I ordered a small size of this just to try it - OMG what a waste. I can't quite describe the scent because I think the fumes erased my perfume-memory zone as a defense. Truely yuck.

I just got my bottle from Fragrancenet, and I tried it, first of all it is strong on application, strong candy apple scent? Haven't gotten anything remotely oriental or floral yet.

This was a gift from my mom. I like it, a bit different. However, it is very sweet and does not last long at all- maybe two hours max. Pass.

I bought this about 8 years ago and used it twice. Could not get into the spell. I just didn't like it. Still sitting on my dresser.

I've had this boxed in the closet for a long time. I love the pretty bottle, but I no longer wear flowery-citrusy scents.

Lovely citrus floral, could be a flanker of Dolce and Gabbana's Light Blue. So pretty!!