Ormonde Woman

Druidess of the HEMLOCK TREE, this witchy women scent is also a shape-shifting gender bender that could easily be worn by anyone. Opens with a burst of grassy green spiced with coriander & cardamom that deepens into a tsuga-violet-jasmine heart, resting on a tree-sap base of cedar-sandalwood, vetiver and amber. One part vintage oriental chypre, one part green vanilla and one part amber-spicy. To my nose this falls somewhere between the soft presence of Gypsy Water Byredo, the amber spiciness of Mania Armani 1999 & the green & sweet tree scent of Un Jardin En Mediterranee Hermes. My first impression a year ago was that this is a 'Chanel-styled' chypre, opening with faint spicy notes. However, just when you feel you're about to deep-dive into a warm spicy pool, you instead skate gracefully around the pool's infinity edge and back again, leaving a trail that wafts gentle spices that dissolve into powder. I had initially got this about a year ago because it was reviewed as similar to Mania Armani 1999. Back in the day I had a sample of Mania Armani 1999 but when I went to purchase it, it had already been discontinued. For those looking to replace a long lost favourite, Ormonde Woman may not provide a satisfying experience of this nature. Before I got a vintage bottle of Mania Armani 1999 I didn't think these were similar, but now when I compare it to the vintage they are quite similar. AM has a bolder approach but there are similarities with coriander & resins. A year later, my bottle has had time to mature, and I've come to appreciate this scent more. This remains a present but understated scent to my nose, in the manner of scents like Gypsy Water Byredo, although with a different profile. The opening burst of grass & spices overlaying the tsuga-violet-jasmine heart reminds me of a green, leafy fig and the opening of Un Jardin En Mediterranee Hermes. The drydowns are different however, with UJEM getting a sweeter ripening fig, while Ormonde Woman has some sweetness but goes in more of a tree-sap direction with cedar-sandalwood, vetiver & amber. Both have a faintly soapy note within the green tones. Overall: This is a versatile & beautiful, well-balanced scent with good longevity & a quiet projection. Perfect scent to wear for channelling the Tuatha de Danann. it's a love for me. Enjoy!

This is a review in Defence of the Ormonde Jayne line, in particular OJ Woman which is in my opinion a sensitively and well crafted perfume. There's a legend about a Uighur princess who became the Qing dynasty Emperor Qianlong's concubine. It is said that when she was born, a mysterious fragrance emanated from her skin; a kind of natural skin scent that exuded from her pores. Such a cultural treasure was the princess that she was given to Qianlong in a political marriage, where she earned the title of "Xiang Fei" - the fragrant concubine. She is an actual historical figure, one can visit her mausoleum today, though whether her skin gave off an organic aroma is another matter. When I wear OJ perfumes, this is exactly what I'm reminded of. The nose behind this perfume is Geza Schoen, the perfumer who made Molecule 01. If one takes into account OJW as part of the oeuvre of Schoen, it's much easier to understand why the sillage is so soft, why people are generally underwhelmed by its effect. As with Molecule 01, I believe the philosophy behind OJW (and some of the other soliflores in the collection) is that perfume should be conceived as another layer in one's personal Aura. This is perfume as aura, not perfume as perfume. This perfume will not announce your presence even before you step into the room. This perfume will not be so distracting you feel like you're talking to the perfume rather than to the person wearing it. This perfume is not a presence on par to its wearer, like a disembodied being following its wearer around. Rather, it extends your presence, adds another sheath to your aura, rainbow-fying you, sprinkles a bit of gold dust to make you shimmer. A close skin scent that you detect only when engaged in a personal face to face conversation. It makes you go, "This Person smells wonderful", rather than "This perfume smells wonderful". It's a very subtle but important difference. Hence, I can see a special spot for OJW (also Tiare, Champaca, etc) in any perfumista's collection. Even though this is not my favourite perfume house, there is definitely a place in my heart I can find for it. (A spritz of OJW survived a 40 minute walk in tropical weather, followed by a strenuous and extremely sweaty power yoga class.)

28F. Blind bought 10mL of the new 'maximum strength' formulation as it sounded like something right up my alley based off all the reviews describing it as the perfume a hedge witch would wear – and that's indeed the character of it! The first couple of sprays from the bottle straight out of the mail took me aback, it was like LOUD BLACK PINE at room-filling levels with not much else, so I shelved it for a few weeks hoping to get some of that depth others have raved about. Now that I've come back to it, I'm in love. It's much smoother, with more moderate sillage than the initial pinebomb I got, making it wearable in any setting. The fragrance itself is a sophisticated foresty blend led by the hemlock, with a melange of aromatic woods, tree sap and greenery dotted with violet blooms playing in the periphery. It conjures the image of a proprietress of a herbal apothecary on the edge of the woods, arranging her assortment of potions and tinctures on wooden countertops. If you've played Hogwarts Legacy, this is what I imagine the lady who runs the Dogweed and Deathcap shop on the outskirts of Hogsmeade would wear. It's mystical and feminine, but in a dignified and grounded way, as of a woman wise in the workings of nature – there's nothing naive or girlish about this scent. It's rich and refined, yet not 'dark' – if scent were colour, this would be a deep warm velvety green. Although named Woman, I'd find this perfume equally intriguing worn on anyone of any gender. In summary: get this if the words "forest", "magic", and "wisdom" resonate with you. Ormonde Jayne Woman has easily become one of my favourite scents that I see myself repurchasing whenever I get close to running out.

A wonderful friend who knows I’m going through a lot gifted me a sample trio of “grass/hay” note fragrances in the hopes I would find a replacement for my beloved signature, Grass by The Gap. Two of the three scents were not for me, and then there was Ormonde Woman. While it smells almost nothing like Grass, the sensibility is extremely similar. There’s this kick of fresh, damp, sweet grass in the top that gracefully melts into a warm but soft woodsy sweet tea vibe as the juice settles into the skin. I don’t get anything too dry or pungent or bitter or smoky here; there is only freshness, warmth, and dew on leaves. It is similar to Replica’s Tea Escape and Gucci’s Memoire D’une Odeur in terms of “fresh green” at first, but to me, Tea Escape has a much drier, more powdered matcha finish, and Memoire is a little sweeter and more floral on me. Ormonde Woman is warmer, smoother, and more inviting, yet it somehow manages to avoid hitting a masculine or heavy note. It is a versatile, clean, soft, and yet not boring scent, and although it is not a powerful blast of fragrance by any means, I get a waft of it here and there for hours whenever I wear it. I believe almost any age group could wear this well, although it feels “grown up” to me. I have said about a million times that I might have a new signature scent with this perfume or that one, but this IS my new signature. I feel beautiful and intriguing and warm whenever I wear it, yet it never feels like I’m trying too hard to be different OR to fit in. I just somehow feel like me but better, and that’s the best kind of signature to leave. Now all I have to do is get a full bottle.

This is absolutely a favourite of mine. It’s evergreen, amber, sugar, incense, and everything good. Honestly, the feelings it stirs in me are indescribable, but I’ll try. It smells a lot like christmas to me. Like going to see the nutcracker with your loved ones and having a day out in the snow. Like spun sugar and incense and sugarplum fairies. Ornaments and cashmere. It’s so hard to put into words, it’s nostalgic and rich, and everything I wanted as a child. I could go on and maybe I’ll add another entry later when I’m feeling more coherent, but this is easily the most beautiful scent I own and when I’m older I would like for this to be my signature, or something I wear around the holidays. To clarify this is not at all an immature scent. It's so sophisticated and poised. Just give it a sniff! Update! I’ve worn this scent so much since I first wrote this review. I have to say it still has this nostalgic idealistic feeling. Actually, all the things I felt in the first review I still feel, but those were also very specific memory triggers, and my relationship with the perfume has changed a bit. Now what really stands out to me is how self-assured and intelligent it is. It’s spicy and green and incense. It reminds me of museums and botanical gardens. It’s very independent and balanced, someone who can take care of themselves, and cares deeply for others. It reminds me of the whole ‘fill your cup first and allow the world to benefit from the overflow’ proverb. I’m not sure if it’s popular or not but when I wear it, I’m reminded of that. It’s very calming and meditative. Still a favourite <3

Ho.leee.cow. Late to the party on this. I’m declaring my love. It’s the uniqueness for me. I had no expectations when I ordered this decant; I was just trying to meet the free shipping amount. 😂 But this is a breath of fresh air! This fragrance is an enigma. It’s fresh (but not a freshie). No citrus. That’s a welcome change! It’s aromatic, but not barbershop. It’s coniferous, but not a cleaning product. The florals provide hardly any sweetness. Coriander slightly outweighs the cardamom, but they’re extremely balanced and “one” with each other. I find it a little bitter (in a great way.) Violet is powdery, but not toooo much. The whole composition is dry to me, almost arid, even. But I’m the odd woman out in this perception. Others find it damp like a “forrest floor.” So I’d put more stock in their judgment since I’m the Lone Ranger on that. The ambery base smells like warm, clean, skin (like when you lick it. 😇 ) The sandalwood is soft, and a little creamy, like in Pure Poison. NO other similarity, just describing the feeling of the sandalwood. The initial grass reminds me of Jardin Sur le Toit. Again, NOT similar, just comparing the grass note. Speaking of comparisons, it reminds me of Cashmere Mist, in a way. Does NOT smell like it, but they both lack sweetness, to me. This is confident and takes no prisoners, yet it’s very endearing. Could make signature for a confident lady (or gentleman, IMO.) My mind’s eye sees a boss-lady, 30+. Strong, with nice projection.

So soft and creamy yet still woodsy dewy coniferous forest witch magic. Incredibly well blended, high quality materials. Very spa like w/o being a boring light tea scent. There’s nothing peppery or musky or sharp about this really, it’s just clear and clean and anything in that lane seems to come entirely from the woods. If you’ve ever been in a sandy-earth forest full of hemlocks and cedar and pitch pines on the east coast of the USA, on a sunny, warm, crisp day (not in snowy winter) there is something spellbinding that is really well represented here. I instantly feel more calm and peaceful and elegant when i spray this. Would be hard pressed to imagine an occasion, season etc where it would feel inappropriate. You could definitely get away with wearing this to the office no problem, and would still smell unique. It’s pretty linear in that the way it smells when I fist spray it is how it stays throughout its life, but I like that about it - it’s so perfectly well-blended that I wouldn’t want it to change or do anything differently. And it will certainly last longer w/o change to its character if sprayed on clothes. This has swiftly become my new signature scent after years and years without one. At first I thought this was a femme-leaning unisex but my bf disagreed, once I smelled Ormonde Man, I agree, that’s certainly much more masculine and by comparison Woman smells soo much more femme to me. Had to buy a full bottle of each so we could both have our own

Ormond Jayne Woman - I find this to be a stunning fragrance, but honestly, if I had looked at the notes first...I would have passed on this altogether. Grass to me did not sound appealing. However, I did not know the notes in this fragrance when I tried it. I spent about an hour at the Ormonde Jayne counter at Nieman Marcus - trying all of the fragrances on tester strips - the opening, the mid and the dry down. This fragrance is signature scent worthy. It is beautiful. I bought a travel size - 10 ML. It creates a soft and addictive scent bubble. It took the 3rd time wearing it for me to pinpoint what it kind of reminds me of...I know this will sound crazy, but it is reminicent of Dior Addict. I know...I know...according to fragrantica..the only note the 2 scents share is Jasmine. But somehow ..the mid and into the drydown reminds me of Dior Addict, not completely and in no way is this a dupe. There are addictive qualities to both fragrances. That said, I find this fragrance to be unique. Ormonde Woman is softer, fresher, greener, but not too green because it has a subtle sweetness. Sublimely feminine and elegant. This can be worn all year round. Nonoffensive and I believe it would leave a gorgeous trail behind you..soft..not to in your face. I think it might be considered more mature...definitely not old, but sophisticated (think woman not girl). Step into your elegance and sample Ormond Jayne Woman.

I blind bought a full bottle when I saw a fellow Fragrantican offering her barely loved 120 mL for less than the price of a 50 mL on Ebay. I still don’t completely understand how or why she would do that, but I’m not one to look gift horses in the mouth, and damn, do I love this scent. Thank you, @Linaskye, for mentioning both Tea Escape and Mémoire d’une Odeur in your review as a point of reference. I am intimately familiar with both of these scents, and I love them both. Ormonde Woman has certain facets/nods of the other two, but is still distinctly different enough to warrant owning all three. As much as I love and constantly rave about Mémoire, Ormonde Woman is a strong contender that might just take one of those coveted top 5 spots one of these days. I can’t even pinpoint what exactly it is about this scent that I love so much--I’m familiar with just about every note listed, with the exception of black hemlock (tsuga). I wonder if it is this note (or maybe the amber?) that adds just a touch of beautiful sweetness in an otherwise very herbal/grassy fragrance. The coriander and cardamom--two spices I use often in my kitchen that can make or break a fragrance--are done exceptionally well here. I got a hell of a deal on my larger bottle, but if/when I run out, I could see myself paying full retail to replace it--it’s that good.

I can see why someone would feel that the iso e super aroma is very noticeable. I sense it but for me it goes really well with the notes of vetiver, coriander, cedar and hemlock. It makes them a bit aquatic rather than straight up dry and makes the scent last long, on clothes at least. When I say it leans aquatic I mean that it smells like a forest after rain. That is how I would summarize what I get from this scent. I think Ormonde Jayne is a master in creating sophisticated fragrances that are never overpowering - not these edp ones that I have sampled at least. This one, too, is sophisticated and gentle. I was looking for a good office scent and this hits the jackpot there without being a depressing citrus or a floral. I like that it’s labeled for women but they still made it very unisex. Not everything feminine always needs to be a boring old floral or something numbingly sweet, so other brands could really take note here. My only criticism is towards pricing. As mentioned, these are pretty intimate and gentle concoctions, so unless I find any OJs on a discount it’s a pass. They do alledgedly use high quality ingredients so in that sense higher prices can be justified, but in this one for example one key ingredient is the aroma chemical. I got a 50ml on a discount and was happy with that.

I was expecting something more ambery and spicy since several reviews gave me the impression that, that was to be expected. It is a lot greener then I imagined and it's done so well. It reminds of of Chanel's no 19 except it's not as bitter and more natural smelling. It's woody and a tad spicy but in a spiced green sort of way i had not experienced before. I took a walk outside today after i sprayed Ormonde Woman for the very first time. Each time i inhaled i noticed that the trees and other vegetation smelled exceptionally good that time of day. Turns out, it was me! It's a very natural scent that turns more powdery the longer you wear it. The fact that this does not smell perfumey but more like something you'd pick up on in your environment is the reason that this fragrance does not scream: I AM HERE! People will know it's you when they get within hand shaking distance for the first couple of hours before it turns more intimate. Looking forward to wear this in spring. And ofcourse to try more ormonde jayne fragrances. This is my second purchase after Tolu and they do not dissapoint so far. I am usually more into bombastic type of fragrances. I like it when they are noticed. But Iove how both Tolu and Ormonde woman have this silent presence about them.

WOW. Sexy, oddly narcotic, green woody vaguely herbaceous scent. Absolutely phenomenal on a blotter in the store and loved it at first spray. On my skin, it loses a little bit of that narcotic quality and is more green and woody. I bought a full 120 ml bottle at full price within the hour. At home, I think my bottle needs to age a little more, it’s not as strong/potent as I recall, but it’s still gorgeous. I’ll leave it to macerate a while. I think some consider this a little masculine, I don’t quite agree. It’s unisex to me, incredibly intoxicating and sexy without being sweet at all. I absolutely LOVE that OJ is willing to make a women's perfume that has such unique qualities. You’d expect a perfume named “(insert niche brand name here) Woman” to be sweet, spicy, boozy, or floral to really emphasise that “feminine” ideal. This is none of those - it’s so lush and natural-smelling, absolutely signature scent worthy and very appropriate for many occasions. I could wax poetic about this forever. It’s a very cool, elegant, self-assured classy scent. I’m in my late 20s and while I do feel this might suit someone in their 30s a little more, this is amazing and I don’t regret this purchase.

Perfect for women who prefer fresh & outdoorsy fragrances, yet do not wish to smell like burning wood, men's cologne, and/or a shrill, synthetic ozonic from the 90s. Opens foresty & dries down to a very soft, dry, fresh & slightly powdery wood scent. Very natural & feminine compared to others in its category (looking at you, Chanel Eau Fraîche). Woman is overall a beautifully versatile & unique fragrance. I love it with Philosykos or Clean Reserve Rain & it's nice with Eau Duelle, though it can become just a bit cloying with the latter. On that note, my only complaint is that the Iso E Super can become a bit much & the grass + coniferous evergreen notes don't dominate quite enough for me. Update: After using a large sample vial for a few days, I developed a slight aversion to the woody-sweet dry down. I think it's the Iso E Super that gives me a slight headache. However, it's truly fabulous layered w/ slightly sharper, cleaner & greener piney, grass, fig & rain fragrances. It's particularly beautiful w/ Philosykos for freshness or the tiniest dab of Eau du Soir to add the much-needed crisp, resinous, and deeply botanical juniper & citrus notes it needs to wake it up.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this fragrance to where I bought a sample then wore it twice and decided I need a full bottle. I ordered the edp online at a discounter, so I hope it's similar to the parfum. The reason I'd not pay full price for a parfum is because it doesn't project or last very long. So I figure I'll get the edp which is half the price and spray it more .. the cost of the parfum is too much for lack of staying power imo and I doubt it's double the strength of their edp was ... But I adore this scent! Ive never smelled black hemlock but it's gorgeous and something I can wear daily and never get tired of it's just a very aromatic and uplifting woodsy and very slightly floral scent that is entirely original. You won't smell this anywhere else.. and to me I love something that's unique to where I think what IS that, I need more! It's unisex yes but I do find ormonde jayne man more masculine. Which is also a lovely scent. My husband even said he'd wear this one himself too. It's just a scent that anyone can enjoy really.. it doesn't scream feminine or masculine it's just like expensive aromatherapy that you can surround yourself with.

Reading the notes for this one I would normally have avoided it. When I read coriander, cardamom (or clove), and cedar I typically prep myself for one of those things completely overwhelming everything else. I don't know if they're difficult to balance or if I'm just overly sensitive. Fortunately a couple of months ago I got a sample of Ormonde Woman and gave it a try. The opening and first few minutes are just amazing. I get all shades of green, light and dark, with a bit of floral and a bit of spicy powder. There's a gentle woodiness here too. It smells a little different each time I spray it. I wish that could last forever. I have a bottle now and have been using this quite a bit. The opening and first half hour are still my favorite. Later I get drier wood, or maybe it's something still powdery, some warmth (amber?), and then maybe something vaguely floral, but it comes and goes. I can spray some on my hand/wrist and nearly the entire workday, every time I smell my wrist it's a little different. I get the comparison to a walking through a magical verdant forest. I can't totally figure this one out. And I'm completely in love.

With this, you get the whole forest, in a deep glen, the forest floor next to a clearing with a dewy field of grass, complete with budding sweet clovers. Fir, pine give way to wet grass, green cardamom, the vague sweet dust hint from coriander, and amber woods. If Norne were a complete, full, and polished perfume—and I love Norne—it would smell like this. As it is, OW is such a bracing yet calming breath, and a perfectly unisex one at that. Feels Heath-giving. You’ve smelled it before if you’ve ever been to and breathed the air in an untouched glen, as when humans were new in an ancient wood. The grass and balsamic hemlock are icy and melting, and interminable. Hours and hours later on skin and forever on fabric, there remains a glow, as if fire were green. There's a wet cedar steaming in the green fire, and the spices and tangy violets render an almost edible amberesque taste in the air. This is as much winter melting into spring as it is spring giving way to a hot summer and mild fall then a snap freeze that traps the green resins till they melt again. I’ve never known such a cyclical, hence fully rounded, fragrance.

On first test on paper it seemed generically fresh and clean, but didn't jump out at me with any particular personality. In fact, I thought it disappeared, but I decided to give it another test on skin a few weeks later, and it really bloomed on my skin. Someone else emphasized the softness and that's the only way I can explain it. It's a lot of fresh notes that are often portrayed in a sharp way, but here they are softened like petals. Very soft juniper berries, not punchy and overly astringent as they normally are presented. If there is jasmine in this, then it stays pleasant throughout and never turns to a dirty scent as often happens. My nose loves it and after the 2nd test, I immediately started hunting for a bottle. Fresh yet pretty unisex scent for daily use. Edit: I realized sometimes this becomes overly sweet on my extremities, so I found I like it better as an under the shirt on the chest spray (I also like Beau de Jour and Fahrenheit in this way) or on a fluffy wool sweater.

Every time I wear this, I get that "I smell great" feeling all day long. Wafts of it drift up to me and put me in an incredible mood. I wore it for a work presentation today. My normal go-to for a confident work scent is Chanel Cristalle EDT, but today was dark and rainy so I wanted something more substantial. I love that the green scent is somewhere in the middle between meadow and forest. I love a good witchy scent, but many of them are not wearable for days with office hours and client meetings. This one is. It doesn't have a soil tincture, or petrichor, or anything metallic. It also has evergreen without pine-sol. It's just a beautiful soft foresty green. I am so glad I bought a full bottle because out of my whole collection I wear it the most. This scent has good presence without shouting. It is unique but not weird. Although IMO it's most suited for fall and spring, you really could use it anytime. It's the only one in my collection that doesn't get put away seasonally.

It's taken me a while to get into this. I first tried it about ten years ago, was a bit 'meh' about it (I probaby wanted something more dramatic then). I've had a sample of it kicking about since then and tried it out a few months ago as I was going on a car trip with someone who's not into chemically perfume. As far as I know Ormonde Woman isn't heavy on the strong aroma chemicals, but some mention it can be irritant to anyone sensitive to perfume. Whatever the case - I've grown to find I like this a lot. It's a comfort scent that's elegant at the same time. It's not green in the same way as L'Ombre dans L'eau, or Chanel 19, but it has a greeness maybe reminsicent of a sticky green pine cone that's lain in the sun al afternoon. Yet it's not overly naturalistic, by which I mean - it is a scent - a proper perfume with even a little touch of powder. Elegant, subtly witchy, woody, soft but edgy - it is most unique and I feel it needs to be part of my permanent collection!

This is soooooo damn good. This is for the confident, cool woman with natural sex appeal who has no interest in smelling like the masses. I can absolutely see why this is an acquired taste... The balsamic and green notes will not be for everyone but if it works with your skin chemistry, it feels like a literal gift from the gods. On me, it is a very clean floral, with jasmine and violet taking center stage. But the green accords and sandalwood cut through the florals beautifully, keeping them from going too bridal or overly powdery. It also has this sensual quality that elevates your mood and makes you feel incredibly put together. If you’re trying to gauge what this smells like, I would describe it as sweet, balsamic, clean but not too soapy, and floral. I actually do not get much of the spicy top notes. 10/10; masterpiece level. Every time I see a bottle for a good deal/sale I will grab it as I do not ever want to be without this fragrance.