California Star Jasmine

Have just received my little tin of mini scent! Gorgeous packaging - as always from Pacifica. My first impression? A summers evening in Provence (I've never been to California mores the pity!) - you know those heady balmy nights when the air is heavy with a mix of floral scents, slightly sweet, slightly woody with a hint of the green leaves, having been heated all day from the hot sun & as the sun sets they release this amazing warm aroma! I remember driving along the pretty streets in France one summer, with my head hanging out of the window breathing in the fabulous fragrance & thinking I wish I could bottle this! For this tiny solid perfume to bring such a vivid memory to mind I am so happy! If you like Beyond Paradise by Estee Lauder you should like this (although this solid does not have the note that gives me a headache with BP, I just CANNOT wear it without getting a migraine) this has a similar summery, dreamy, soapy floral quality but with a much more natural feel. I just can't wait for summer nights! Edit: It is now summer & I am enjoying this more everyday, it has a soft creaminess that I love, the soap is awesome too ( a big bulky bar that I cut into 4 pieces, very good value for money) A perfect heady but fresh summer scent IMO! Please note - this review is for the solid - when I tried the spray I was disappointed, it has a harsh quality that you don't get in the solid, I will get the body butter though because I love this smell! X

I totally agree with below about being a sweet jasmine - slightly orangey The jasmine is powerful at first and almost sharp, but it quickly settles and the orange notes come out. As it dries down the jasmine is even more sweet, and blends nice with the sweet orange notes. I LOVE the simplicity of this fragrance. It is a nice summery bright scent. A light delicious Star Jasmine. I can't get enough of it! Longevity sucks. This is definitely Star Jasmine or Trachelospermum jasminoides. A very common variety of jasmine. The scent is hypnotic. This scent is NOT indolic jasmine. No Way No How -- not even close! Indoles are rotting decay caused usually by Jasmine notes mixed with musk. -- this smells of ZERO decay or rot

Ok, I've tried this again but this time more heavily, because it has such a soft/low sillage... And now it's really grown on me - I love it.. once I get past the orange (just have to ignore it) its really beautiful and has that same sweet, tender quality of real star jasmine flower, the driftwood is divine and complements the jasmine perfectly - it smells like a California beach at sunset - I cant stop sniffing my wrist. My only criticism is its weakness and the orange - I appreciate it adds needed sweetness but I would prefer a warmer sweetness - like almond or vanilla that may also give it some staying power.

This is a sweet orangey jasmine, very fresh and clean. The scent itself quite light, even layered with the shower gel and body butter. However, I prefer my fragrances light and airy so this is a match made in heaven. Through the years I've found that you really can't go wrong with Pacifica. High quality, safe ingredients, and a very reasonable price!

This is a jasmine for people who don't like the typical indolic Jasmines. Rather, this is soft and close to the body. Strong enough to catch whiffs of it up close, but far from space invading. It is a very fresh smell that reminds me of body wash or shampoo but I love scents like that. Great one to spray right out of the shower.

My gf has this in her purse and I dive in almost every day! I haven't enjoyed a good jasmine in for...EVER. This isn't dank, musty, or sharp. This is as sunny as a dreamy light honeysuckle. I'm in love with this scent. To me, it's the perfect jasmine. Oh how I've missed jasmine...and here it is. So pretty!

This has a very pungent "green" jasmine smell of actual jasmine plants which I find hard to find in perfumes. I have had a rollerball of this for several years and I think the bitter green smell has increased with oxidization. The sea salt smell is very present for me too. Not for everyone but I love it.

I love the scent of real star jasmine flowers but this just isn't the same - it lacks warmth and doesn't last long at all.

Does anyone remember a scent from Avon's Naturals line called Water Flowers? It was an aqua blue, marine/lotus/floral scent. It's a scent I'd been feeling nostalgic about. Unfortunately, it's been out of production for years and years. Well, I needn't worry about never finding the scent again -- its perfect dupe can be found in California Star Jasmine. To me, it's a beachy, suntan lotion (Sea & Ski -- another blast from my past!) scent. I'd be happy to have a rollerball of this stuff, for sentimental reasons.

Pacifica's California Star Jasmine is basically Petitgrain/Neroli and maybe a hint of honey. Nothing more than that. I cannot smell any star jasmine whatsoever. Please don't expect a jasmine fragrance, it's not what this is about. The fragrance is still satisfying, though. I enjoy it and have been applying it often lately. Simple, light, sunny. If you like orange/petitgrain/neroli, go for it. For the price (and for being natural) it's a good deal.

Maybe it's because I'm from California, and this claims to be the scent of California Star Jasmine. At certain times of the year Star Jasmine is the scent of all surrounding air; it grows along the freeways, lines parking lots, decorates yards, and trails along buildings. This smells like basic jasmine oil with some orange oil added. It's a heavy scent and it smells more like the "classic" suntan lotion smell than real flowers.

I like this perfume very much, but do not be misled by the name of it because I smell orange as strongly as I smell star jasmine. I love its flowery sweetness, and it does remind me of sunny Southern California, where jasmine and orange trees are bountiful. This is a beautiful, warm, summer scent.

Starts off as an earthy white-floral scent with some bitter citrus and woods, and dries down into a tame, soft jasmine aroma that stays close to the skin. I prefer the opening, as the drydown is a little too quiet for me. I'm not in love with it, but it's a nice scent nonetheless.

Gorgeous fresh floral lush jasmine. Something along the lines of baby scent, jasmine and clean laundry. One spritz goes a long way. Great choice for warmer weather.

This was a tough one for me. I love jasmine, and I am generally a fan of Pacifica, but this is a complete misfire. I would liken the scent to a hairspray that has been modified to have a "floral" scent to make it more appealing to consumers - it was ghastly. Unfortunately, I'd rather smell actual hairspray. It is uncomfortably sharp upon first spray, and it remains that way through the duration of wear. I do get a slight citrus background, but I'm afraid I am so taken aback by the overall impression that I cannot make myself try CSJ again to re-evaluate the presence of other notes. I also detect the slight marine element in this, which is interesting but probably unnecessary. If you are looking for a simple and inexpensive jasmine, try Demeter's version, or better yet go for LUSH Lust. If you are looking for a good Pacifica floral, try Tahitian Gardenia instead.

I generally really like Pacifica as a brand, but I feel downright misled by them after buying this scent blind as a result of reading its description on their website. It reads: "Dreamy, beautiful star jasmine is woven into subtle, lush driftwood notes. Bright orange shines at the top." I know what Star Jasmine smells like. It blooms at my parents’ house every warm season. In this I smell no jasmine whatsoever, Star or otherwise. And when they said "orange shines at the top," I figured it would smell like the fruit, either sweet or zesty. But no. This perfume is straight up Neroli. It's like being punched in the face by Neroli. VERY bitter. I'm very disappointed by this one.

This definitely reminds me of going to the pool for swimming lessons when I was a kid. (and I'm from California.) But that's because it smells like sunscreen and pool, with some jasmine bushes in the background. And it's not like the coconutty kind of suntan lotion, but actually sunscreen, like banana boat. Maybe the tester went bad? Or maybe that's just the driftwood accord coming out? I don't dislike the scent, it is nostalgic, but if I want to smell like sunscreen, I would just... wear sunscreen. There might be a milky/planty kind of jasmine hiding in there somewhere, but I can just barely smell it.

This was 90% citrus and woods on my skin, right from the initial spray. A tart orange and driftwood that seems to turn a little bitter on my skin. Luckily it was not overwhelmingly strong. I think I could enjoy it in candle form. A bit of a disappointment for me since I was hoping for some star jasmine to take me back to the time I lived in Los Angeles (I never realized I liked jasmine until I smelled it on the bush outside).

I have several Pacifica perfumes (mostly rollerball, one in solid) and this one is the one I am least enthusiastic about. The opening is dominated by orange and it kind of muddles the jasmine flowers..... then the whole thing goes quiet, so the interesting drydown is barely discernible. What a pity, the idea seems brilliant, a little bit more of the driftwood upfront would make the fragrance more balanced, but sadly it is rather sharp and cleaning product like for the most part. I prefer Pacifica Waikiki Pikake which to me smells more like jasmine. Tahitian Gardenia is also a favourite of mine. They are more long lasting than California Star Jasmine.

I got a small solid sample of this for purchasing over $30 on Pacifica's website. I had high hopes for this since I like jasmine, but I'm disappointed. I'm not getting any jasmine out of this. I live in California where star jasmine bushes emit their heady smells in the evenings, but this fragrance is quite far from that scent. All I smell is a harsh note bug spray note with some orange.