Tahitian Gardenia

This was my first perfume that I actually liked with overt florals. I mainly smell gardenia and tea with a fresh sweetness on my skin. The hand lotion that is now discontinued smelled even better and gave a creamy lotion vibe. This gardenia is not creamy at all. It last for quite a while but the tea and sweet orange die off at the dry down. I thought that I wanted something a bit more sweet and creamy, so I tried other gardenia and tuberose fragrances. Im going to be honest, my nose can barely tell the difference between tuberose vs gardenia dominate fragrances. So I tried, things like Aerin Hibiscus Palm, Amouage Love Tuberose, and Tom Ford Orchid Soleil to name a few. I found that the creaminess was too creamy or the sweetness was too sweet. Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia is a very fresh gardenia. That’s it’s strong point. I’d love for the tea note to stick around for a little longer, but beyond that it, I really like it. Also, I think pacifica roller balls are worthless. For some reason you really can’t smell them that well. I do notice that TJ Maxx sometimes carry Pacifica gift sets. So you may be able to pick up a bottle for less than the roller ball without shopping online.

I bought this during Covid in 2020 before I got into collecting fragrances. I liked it well enough. Didn’t consider it a favorite because I thought it was too sweet and strong. Now I love heavy powdery flormands, which don’t always work well in summer. I rediscovered this fragrance in my collection and I think it is perfect for summer! Because my tastes have changed I think it is just sweet and strong enough but not cloying like a lot of my other fragrances in heat. I actually do get the laconic vibes but more so in a lotiony way not a milky way. I wore this pool side the other day and it bloomed wonderfully in the heat. I was loving the scent bubble I had created along with the suntan lotion I had on. I could also see this being fantastic on a summer night outside on vacation. On a night beach walk or for an evening ice cream run. The fragrance itself reminds me of taking a walk on a humid summer night and smelling fragrant white flowers as you pass them by. I am glad that Pacifica is selling this on their website again. Probably going to have to pick up another bottle! The quality is also great for the price in my opinion.

Such a lovely, sweet, crowd-pleasing gardenia scent. Floral, but backed up with creamy sweetness. I'm SO confused about the people getting "granny" from this scent, although maybe it's because I have the body mist and not the EDP. While it's a scent I like wearing, I would also feel perfectly comfortable letting my 10-year-old cousin have it if I ever got tired of it - it's that sweet and youthful. I'm a big jasmine lover, but I do understand people who are averse to floral scents and the ammonia-like smell it can sour to on some people. This is not one of those scents I see people being averse to. Overall, it's an easy scent for everyday/rushing out the door. I've gotten compliments just wearing it alone without layering a more complex perfume. The creaminess and sweetness are beautiful if you don't like the sharpness of florals but are still wanting a floral for some reason.

My favorite scent from the Pacifica line. A sharp burst of gardenia and jasmine. There's nothing real creamy or soft about it at all, but it's stunning none the less. I see a lot of people describing it as creamy but for me it's a scent that's right at the front of the nose, almost peppery. The sweet orange comes in more during the dry down and the tea leaf is just there to subtly round it out and give some balance. It dries down so it's not quite as sharp as the initial spray, but that gardenia is still definitely front and center. Probably not for everyone, but for the price and the availability of samples at drug stores I definitely recommend sampling it. I think it would be perfect for a tropical vacation, as the sharpness makes it perfect to wear in the hot/humid weather. 8/10

Tahitian Gardenia was my signature scent for most of high school and I still have a soft spot for it. This is a creamy, summery white floral with just a hint of citrus that is barely noticeable yet enjoyable. It performed really well in the heat and it was my go-to on a lot of vacations. Unfortunately I’m almost out of my original bottle and putting off using up the last couple sprays... I need to order a new one soon. My only complaint is that I think the gardenia note listed on here are a little misleading... the tahitian gardenia is actually the tiare flower which is a more tropical plant. I would say traditional gardenia is a little more earthy and “spring-y” than this.

To kyl77...You can buy a 1 oz full size bottle with free shipping on eBay for $14.99 which is a much better deal than $12 for the roller ball. My advise is always go to eBay first. You probably bought your roller ball at Target, right? I too, love this scent. When I don't want to dip into my Versace Blonde or EL Tuberose Gardenia, I will reach for this and spray with abandon! I get your Dorothy Lamour reference (loving classic golden age films...my mom worked as Bob Hope's private gourmet chef in the 80s). And I didn't think anything you said was racist. It's history and as hard as some people want to change it, it remains. Don't apologize for telling a fact.

I love when I pass a tree and smell fresh gardenia flowers in the breeze. I've smelled many gardenia fragrances and they've all been expensive. This is so affordable and knocks them all out of the water! My absolute favorite gardenia fragrance of all time. It's the gardenia trees that I love, the same breeze, but on a tropical beach. I always get so many compliments when I wear this, especially when I pair it with Pacifica's Island Vanilla or the Tahitian Gardenia body lotion. The best thing is that it doesn't smell synthetic at all. It doesn't smell like a cheap perfume nor does it perform like one. This is a forever fragrance for me.

Love it... very tropical smelling and, for a Pacifica rollerball, not too shortlived. The opening is very fresh, slightly citrus-y. On the packaging it says notes are Gardenia, Orange Flower, Jasmin, Ylang Ylang, a tea note is not mentioned although I would not disagree that it has a slight resemblance to green or white tea as well. But the Ylang Ylang is definitely there and should be added to the notes above. A tropical fresh gardenia with a sweet and sour twist. I do not find any "waxyness" here that can be offputting with certain gardenia fragrances.

My great-grandma grew gardenias in her backyard, and smelling this scent from Pacifica takes me right back to those creamy blossoms and glossy leaves. There is an overwhelming intensity to most gardenia-based perfumes that this version lacks. It is not overpowering or perfum-y- it really smells like the delicate blossoms. There is a fresh greenness to the scent, as well as a creaminess that I adore. My only issue is that it doesn't last long on my skin, which is a great shame.

This perfume is divine. I find the bright citrus opening to be refreshing and zingy, and the white florals feel light and elegant, but still a little mysterious. The dry-down is lactonic, encapsulating a creamy white floral perfectly, never approaching gourmand vanilla territory. I love that Tahitian Gardenia is not too sweet; it is fresh, refined, and tropical, perfect for the whole year. I feel so put-together when I spritz this. Highly recommend. <3

Very pretty and uplifting! Sunshine and gardenias. It's quite strong and that's a good thing! People ask me "What's that wonderful smell?" I like to layer this with Kuumba Made Creamy Coconut Fragrance Oil. Talk about tropical delight!...and even more compliments..."Ooohhh you smell sooooo good!" :) This is definitely one of the better Pacifica scents. It has great sillage and longevity and just smells divine.

This perfume is a man grabber. When I have worn it men stop me in my tracks to ask me what I have on. When I've worn it around my man he cannot keep his hands off me. 😏 It smells THAT good. This is the absolute perfect quintessential white floral fragrance for an unbeatable price point. It's sexy and ultra feminine. I also use the hair mist in the same scent by Pacifica.

Just bought this in a perfume roll-on today to take on a trip. Wonderful! It reminds me of the old Tuvache Jungle Gardenia, but it also has a bit of an Avon Hawaiian White Ginger vibe. I can't really detect the citrus, and and if there's a green note, it's very subtle and probably keeps this from being too overpoweringly sweet. Seems pretty long lasting.

At first spray the Gardenia hits you in the face (err nose?) like a ton of bricks but then after that initial blast has faded comes a beautiful mix of the Gardenia and Jasmine. I don’t notice Orange at all and was surprised to see it listed in the notes. It definitely comes off as a very strong, in-your-face floral. But I really like it.

Creamy, warm, and fresh tropical floral. I smell lots of jasmine and gardenia, and the orange gives it a bright sweet&juicy freshness. I loved it at first sniff! This one lasts forever on me and it is under $25 at Target. In general, the Pacifica perfumes are awesome. I prefer some of these over my most expensive bottles!

A lovely GARDENIA scent, one of the BEST I've ever tried. I have the solid which has a moderate longevity. Not too bad for a solid! It's light, but it's definitely there. It's a very feminine scent and can be worn by all ages. Smells like long SUMMER evenings, somewhere TROPICAL. I think it's the best Pacifica fragrance!

this was my signature scent in my later high school years, needless to say it's extremely nostalgic. i have the tiniest bit of juice left and i can't bring myself to use it. sometimes a perfume becomes reserved for the point in time it once occupied. the scent itself is so beautiful, a feminine and lush white floral.

Gardenia is usually quite harsh for me. I usually like the scent, but I would hesistate to wear it, especially a heavier concentated eau de parfum. Tahitian Gardenia is a well balanced fragrance. It’s somethIng I can definitely wear very often. It’s good during summer, as well as, I suspect, winter!

This actually has pretty good longevity. I took a several month break from this fragrance so maybe my nose stopped being used to it? I sprayed it 7 hours ago, and can still smell it on me.

I love this!!! It's a somewhat complex gardenia/jasmine scent, with slight floral and green notes. I really love it and am so perplexed as to how some people find it smells 'granny' ish!

WOW. This has HUGE sillage and very long lasting, absolutely amazing longevity for the price. Layer this with a tuberose scent and it is just perfect. Love it.

This little baby packs a punch! Gardenia for days, and it's bright. I love this so much, it is just a great budget Gardenia!

This is one my favourite scents from Pacifica! It's a fresh, bright, tropical gardenia scent that is perfect for summer.

so good. it smells fresh and floral without the sweetness that's so often added to floral scents.

This smells absolutely beautiful! One of my favorite florals.

Same as white gardenia petals , illuminum

I first came to this fragrance after trying the body butter in a small size at Sephora. I really loved that so I splurged for a set with a large size of the body butter, the shower gel, and a rollerball of the fragrance. I didn't know if I would love the fragrance, but it is a very nice gardenia with some complexity as others have stated. The shower gel is beautifully fragranced with some staying power, the body butter is luxuriously moisturizing and smells amazing, and the perfume is nice as well. I decided to compare it to Tocca's Florence today, which I purchased for my best friend and sampled. Florence on me is all gardenia, but when I compare it to the Pacifica, I actually like this better! The Pacifica has much more complexity than the Florence, which really surprised me. The Tocca is creamier, but Pacifica's has the slight sharpness of the tea leaf which makes it more intoxicating and mysterious. Most of my favorite fragrances have orange and jasmine, so it's no surprise that I enjoy this. If you are a gardenia lover, then I think this would be a big hit for you.

I expected gardenia. Where's the gardenia? This perfume is... an overripe melon, white floral type of fragrance. Gardenia is a white floral with vegetal, mushroom-y touches, it doesn't become fruity. There. Is. No. Gardenia. In. This. Fragrance. I googled "tahitian gardenia" and I found... Tiare flower? "Tiare flower: A white floral note, creamy, fruity and indolic." Bam. Everything makes sense now. I thought this was a melon-y, indolic tuberose fragrance masquerading as gardenia. Tahitian gardenia = tiare flower. I am so glad I learned this sooner rather than later. The more you know. As previously pointed out by melia, the proof is in the packaging. The flowers adorning the bottle and the box resemble tiare, not gardenia. Not a bad perfume at all, it's rather pretty, it's just not what I was hoping for. Someone, whoever is able, should update the note breakdown to more accurately reflect the nature of this fragrance.

this is a solid floral! i don't love florals but i bought some pacifica rollerballs before i knew what i liked in a fragrance. it's a very crisp frag that smells clean and fresh, but it's a little too sharp for me. it's not my kind of scent but it's classy and a good fragrance fs. it's a rollerball so the throw is very average, but this has surprisingly good longevity for a fresh scent. edit: this grows on me more and more every time i wear it. the drydown of this has a creaminess/milkiness that's just so soothing and cozy, but still fresh. think cold whipped cream rather than sticky condensed milk. i cannot get enough of this <3 i have no idea what notes give it that creaminess, but the drydown of this is the closest i've found to a true milky frag that doesn't pull weird or sour or overly sweet or anything. perfection.

I like how the reviewer below described this as "youthful". As much as a gardenia scent can be - this one is definitely on the fresher more modern side. It still is a rich and lovely realistic gardenia fragrance. The tea and orange perfectly enhance with a dry sweetness, without being too much or too little. It's sweet and pretty but every now and again you get a crisp sharper fresh green floral essence floating about. It is the most pleasant gardenia scent I've come accross - staying pretty throughout the wear. Never becoming stuffy. But it is quite heady and you don't need much. I recommend the body butter! It is extremely fragrant and long lasting. If you're looking to try a gardenia fragrance, but are a bit hesitant - give this one a try. It is both quality and affordable.

This is just so beautiful. All I smell is gardenia and a little bit of jasmine, but it smells very natural. It sits close to my skin but lasts for hours. I bought the $12.00 dollar roller ball, which is more than affordable. This perfume line is also completely vegan and cruelty free. Another great thing about this perfume is that it makes me feel like I'm Dorothy Lamour in one of The Road Pictures with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope back in the 1940's. In case you're not familiar with the pictures, she always played some type of island girl running around in a sarong with a flower in her hair. Very racist I know! But she did look great, and I can just imagine her wearing this tropical perfume. This is super feminine, and will make your want to wear a flower in your hair too.

Very lovely, true Tahitian gardenia scent. Tahitian gardenia is actually tiare flower, which is what gives this a summer, beachy vibe more than straight magnolia does. While there are other notes listed, this is almost a soliflore. You get mostly just tiare, but something is warming it up. Maybe the orange blossom? It’s very long lasting and excellent sillage, you can definitely over apply this. A little goes a long way. I really only feel comfortable wearing this in the summer months. If I’m craving a little summer when it’s cold out I may put it on to lift my mood, but I wouldn’t go out and about wearing it when it’s cold. It just doesn’t fit. But to each their own! It’s a lovely scent and one can snd should wear it whenever they like 😉.

For the price point, and it being sold it target. This is the best white floral for your buck. I can see why people don't like the title and it being called Tahitian gardenia. I can understand that it doesn't exactly smell like gardenia. However, what I think the creator is doing is that I think the perfume is suppose to smell like the Tiare flower, and much less like an actual gardenia. This wonderful perfume makes me actually want to smell similar perfumes that are suppose to smell like Tiare flower. The only con I have for this perfume smells a little bit too indolic, and sharp with nothing to calm down the indole in this perfume.

This is nice! I had a family friend from Fiji come to live with me when I was a child, and this scent reminds me of how she used to smell (I think it was her hairspray or body spray that smelt like this, but this perfume really brought back so many memories). It's a really lovely Gardenia/white floral, but it's very beachy and tropical too. I had the mist version which unfortunately made me sneeze, but I passed it along to a friend and she LOVED it. Very tropical island-esque and white florals, it smells quite "green" and very fresh, almost like an Asian inspired scent. The bonus is Pacifica is all vegan and chemical free. :)

It definitely leans zesty, with a crisp, almost citrusy brightness in the top that cuts through the creamy gardenia. Upon spraying I can pick up an aldehydic/vintage tinge that gives it an elegant “old-school summer” vibe, like freshly ironed linen and sun-warmed skin. It’s almost like gardenia meets neroli with a nod to Chanel No. 22, but beachier and more casual. It does remind me of Florence by Tocca, but Florence has that pear and bergamot brightness up top that goes more into a powdery tuberose/iris territory, while Tahitian Gardenia keeps it more citrus-skin and lush petal. Great sillage, moderate longevity.

I got a rollerball of this fragrance from an Ipsy Glam Bag, and was initially disappointed that I got this instead of the vanilla that was the alternate scent that month. I am not into white florals, which I usually find too cloying and a little "older lady". However, this one grew on me. The crisp, citrus scent balanced out the sweetness of gardenia, making the fragrance fresher and more modern than other white florals I've sniffed. It has a warm, tropical vibe that's perfect for summer. However, I won't be getting another when I use up the rollerball, since it is generally not my type of fragrance.

Bought on a whim after a very brief test since it was on sale at Ulta and, not being a prestige fragrance, even cheaper with a coupon. Very strong at first -almost too strong- and I agree with another reviewer who mentioned that the creaminess is almost coconut-esque. Big, full-bodied gardenia character, and what I was interpreting as sweet lime (to go with the coconut) was apparently the orange. For it being so strong on application, the staying power is less than you would expect- only a few hours. I don't think I'll re-buy it, but it's a nice, creamy white floral at a really good price point.

i have the rollerball of this!! it was my mother's before she gave it to me so it's had a lot of time to sit and mature although i ultimately kept it because it reminds me of her :). years later i'm going through my old crossbody and IT'S ACTUALLY GREAT. and i'm not a huge white floral person!! but it's creamy and sensual in a subtle way and sooooo lovely in the heat. i layered her with lira and i felt like a woman strutting down the halls of a villa with the coattails of her kimono tailing in the wind. she's looking toward the sunset and everything feels right. please come back in stock!!

Creamy, hypnotizing, lots of white and a bit green.. I love it very much! For such a low pricetag it smells very intruiging and different. I love to spray this in my hair; since it is made organically from natural oils I know it will not really damage it :) Then I spritz on some coconut fragrance on my skin and voilà, an exotic twist is there! By the way, here it shows gardenia as the note of this perfume, but I'm sure it's tiaré flower, since tahitian gardenia is just another term for tiaré (the bottle and packaging is also with tiaré flowers as you can see).

This perfume is quite potent, a callback to the older days of Pacifica's perfumes that do not hold back. It is unabashedly white floral from the get-go, but I don't know if I'd call it gardenia. Another review harkened to the tiare flower, and I'd have to agree. If you love a strong flowery fragrance I'd recommend this but it isn't a typical tropical or beach-like scent in my opinion: typically with such perfumes you get some sort of secondary or tertiary note to help define it as such (like coconut, or an aquatic note), but not here. Just...flowers.

Truth be told, I've almost always been impressed with Pacifica. They are extremely affordable, deliver their promise, and smell surprisingly balanced. For something that can be bought at Whole Foods or Target, their fragrances often can rival many similar scents that charge nearly ten times the price. Tahitian Gardenia is no exception: its refreshing, breezy, tropical quality opens with citrus and aromatics, ushering in an agreeable gardenia accord. It's neither sweet nor sharp and hits the spot.

The opening of this fragrance is 50/50 citrus & gardenia. Once it mellows it's a sweet, creamy gardenia with pleasant green notes and a certain brightness from the citrus. Although I have as yet to encounter a "light" gardenia fragrance, Tahitian Gardenia is worlds away from such white floral bombs as Amarige & Giorgio. Sillage is moderate and pleasant. I find I much prefer to catch this scent's projection than sniff it on my skin. Nose to wrist the citrus/tea combo seems quite sharp.

I have to admit, the gardenia fragrances I've experienced in the past had me running from myself, but this one did not. I could definitely smell the jasmine that is interwoven with the gardenia being the highlight, giving it some dimension. The ylang ylang softens it, along with the tea being in the background, keeping it grounded. I couldn't smell the citrus note in this, but I love how fresh this scent is. It's definitely a keeper for the warmer months.

Someone beat me to the adjective that this fragrance calls to mind for me: SPARKLING! Cstreet nailed the opening as 50/50 floral/ citrus. Very well-balanced. I like this and I enjoy many of Pacifica's offerings. They're generally unique and wearable and a great bargain, even if some don't have great silliage and/or lasting power (layering helps much) This is good stuff for any age and a nice multi-purpose frag. Be well & happy sniffing!!

Something must be wrong with my nose. I definitely don't notice citrus in this? It's pretty much just a green white floral to me and that's pretty much all I can smell. VERY spring-like. Most Gardenia perfumes smell a bit old ladyish, but this one is much younger while still being sophisticated and mature, something that a lady in her late 20's would greatly appreciate! It kind of reminds me of a spring tea party!

this is not a fragrance that speaks to me, but it is well done. it's a simple white floral with green notes. probably not a "true" gardenia as it's hard to perfume, but a nice interpretation. very office safe. pacifica describes it as a "vintage" scent and I totally agree. I have the body mist and probably won't pick up the EDP, but this is really nice if you're looking for a staple white floral!

This is a very nice, clean-smelling scent! It layers well with Phlur's Father Figure. On its own, it inexplicably reminds me a lot of the song "Like Real People Do" by Hozier (an odd comparison I know, but I was listening to the song while I wore it and I was like, "hmm... these have similar vibes.") Overall a good, cheap option! (NOTE: I have the body mist, not the EDP)

The gardenia and jasmine are so beautiful in this but there is something astringent that is stinging my nose on first application (can only speak on the rollerball version), however it disappear quickly enough. The sillage is almost too strong and heavy so it is not something I would recommend wearing to work or when eating. Great for a day outdoors.

This is my favorite Pacifica at the moment. Very fresh, slightly green but not overwhelmingly so. This is a more youthful, modern gardenia than something like Elizabeth Taylor Gardenia or Jovan's version, and equally affordable, so even if you think you aren't a gardenia person, give this one a go. lovely sillage and goes from day to evening

Nice, creamy white floral. Simple but elegant. It's not super well blended, and I really wish I could smell the tea/green notes a little more, but it's great for what it is. I got a rollerball for super cheap and it's the perfect size to throw in your purse. The opening is a little chemical-y, but the dry down is really pretty.