Un Bel Amour D’été

I’m locked in a moment of pure physical ecstasy. The golden orange glow of the sun on bronzed skin salty from seawater and sweat. Coconut and floral suntan lotion. A fruit cocktail gone a bit warm in the sun. The scents of flowers on a warm breeze. It’s a moment in time, a beautiful and sultry summer day full of sensorial and physical delights that you don’t want to end. Oof, ok, focus Nathan. Let me try to do this before I pass out. First to get out of the way are some notes I’m definitely picking up that PdE doesn’t mention, namely cumin and civet. Be it known that Bel Amour is a lot more raunchy than breezy summer frivolity. The cumin and the civet add palpable and magnetic body odors to the perfume that are acting like pheromones. The animalic purr is loud, lascivious, and ready for fun. Champaca starts the perfume, golden, sweet, fruity, and unctuous. The civet makes its first appearance alongside, immediately making me think of Jicky - yes, it’s that loud and sexual. Then the heart - ugh, the gorgeous beating heart of this perfume. It’s the most beautiful thumping muscle of gardenia and ylang-ylang. The gardenia presents as its typical rich, sweet, creamy, white floral self, but here it calls heavily on its coconut facets while staying bright rather than deeply nutty or milky. The yellow floral of the ylang-ylang is pushing its fruity and banana notes, starchy texture, and highly tropical characteristics. The cumin swings in and out, adding plenty of raunch to the innocent florals. The dry down to the base keeps the purr, thump, and beat going. Thank you, Mr. Corticchiato, for consistently not ignoring your dry downs. The sandalwood and vanilla base is just as energetic as the top and heart, and carries the creaminess and earthy spiciness very well and very convincingly. Ok, enough about all that - back to smelling, back to buckling at the knees in ecstasy, back to losing myself in the memory of a languid and tryst-filled summer. What a stunner of a perfume.

Languid. Tropical. Humidity and high heat. My skin makes it come real close to Songes, so I don’t get the Fracas/Jicky association unfortunately. But it’s a rough Songes. There’s a prominence of camphor in the first hour or so, something that Songes lacks. It doesn’t veer in the direction of the menthol queen Tubereuse Criminelle, but the feel here is camphor with something else. The gardenia is quite pronounced and smells very authentic and saturated, the kind which we haven’t smelt since Boutonnière from Arquiste. But here, it has a halo of freshness curtesy of the magnolia, so it’s a humid tropical smell. The mushroom aspect is subdued but present enough to provide authenticity. From the second hour onward, it becomes less humid and more dry, kinda like the 2 o’ clock sun at the beach. The gardenia transforms to a more spicy melange and a very nice sandalwood with just a hint of vanilla and body warmth emerges. Blending is superb, like most PdE creations you can’t grasp the full effect from the start; it comes with wear. But these first weeks of wearing it in extremely high heat, I’m getting the promised heady gardenia, accurate and authentic, saturated with magnolia and slightly funky base notes that show a 90/10 ratio of sandalwood vs vanilla. It can be familiar to some, easy to love by many but never an easy cash grab or functional mainstream turd; I think I’m on the start of my Bel Amour, the infatuation. Give us a couple weeks and we’ll make it a very naughty Bel Amour d’Été! Sillage and longevity on par with the house; generous but never crass! From 2024, my favorite release so far (not yet gotten my hands on Epona and Venice Rococo to complete the perfect 2024 threesome). Edit: blooms in autumn in a glorious way! Somehow it becomes extremely gardenia forward 😍

The flowers blooming in my city this spring had me craving for something fitting for the season. I was looking at the obvious white florals, and gardenia was a note I was largely unfamiliar with. Un Bel Amour was quietly under my radar for quite some time, but out of pure randomness I got my nose on this, and I'm happy I did. I typically have a penchant for my floral to be skanky, which this isn't, but this turned out to be a welcome break. The opening feels like the THX logo; nothing I've ever sprayed can match the first few minutes of pure unadultered awe this provides. Just a full colored rush that completely floors me. And it thankfully holds up throughout the wear. The marriage of gardenia and ylang is the core, which segues into a gentle sandalwood drydown. Easy to understand, but every facet is complex and incredibly well done if one decides to look. The subtle spices bring a gentle edge, simply floating the whole time, just humming along. Nothing ever sticks out negatively. Corticchiato has yet to dissapoint. It's odd to think there wasn't anything close to this in the Parfum d'Empire lineup, since it just makes sense. It stands out as such a pretty scent top to bottom. It's like every dark album needing a very pretty song in the middle, a relief. Every perfume brand that takes itself seriously will have a tough time making something so good yet so carefree.

Wow!! My love affair with the perfume house Parfum D'Empire continues unabated. First I fell head over heels for Corsica Furiosa, then Mal-Aime then I was blown away by Aqua di Scandola. Now I have been wearing Un Bel Amour d'Ete for the last 3 days and once more I am bowled over. Bright yet utterly creamy, dense and heady yet fresh and sparkling. So opulent, but also sunny and carefree. Blended with such incredible expertise you cannot help but be astounded by the complexity of this fragrance. It wallops you in the initial 30 mins, like standing in dazzling sunshine in a garden of white and yellow flowers but then as the brightness subsides the creamy sensuality steps forwards and the sexiness is dialled up to 10. I won't try and write about the notes, there are two or three articles here on Fragrantica that do that much better than I ever could. But I will say that anyone that loves creamy white florals but who is a grown up woman who isn't afraid of her sensual powers, will adore this blockbuster of a fragrance.

I have, each on a strip and on skin, Un Bel Amour d’Ete, Le Galion’s L’Astre, and Sana Jardin’s (woefully discontinued) Revolution de la Fleur. The overlap of UBAdE and RdlF is a good 80%, the former having a cumin note, which gives it a lightness and freshness. RdlF is more humid and dense, the yellow florals heavier, and the vanilla giving it a sweet, custard-y weight. L’Astre compares about 60% to RdlF, and 75% to UBAdE, it’s a little creamier (not vanillic) than UBAdE; though the yellow florals are quite similar. All gorgeous, wearable Ylang Ylang- dominant perfumes; all vaguely tropical; they seem best suited to warm weather. Are they different enough to own all? Yes, if yellow florals are your jam, and they differentiate enough on your skin. They are pretty true to how they smell on the blotters on my skin. Nonetheless, I’m glad to have compared them, as they have a lot of overlap to my nose. I have RdlF, and would like to choose one of the others. Undecided as of yet.

This is the most intoxicating scent I smelled this spring-summer. It is beautiful, sweet, floral scent that just takes you out of this world. The first time I smelled it I was ready to buy a full bottle. It is unique to me, most certainly, and the breaking point was testing this in the heat... It is a lot and with my skin it quickly turns into a bubble gum type of sweetness which I still find intoxicating but not on me as perfume. On a cooler day it shines, it is completely floral and think yellow-white florals that just evokes happiness and pleasure. It put a smile on my face and made me sniff few times frantically asking "what is this, what is this.." - i am pretty sure my pupils were dilated from excitement. I will try it during winter because I think this is better suited for a sunny day but like 15-19 degrees at most (first smelled it during a cooler day). Not for the heat in my opinion.

I knew I'd love this one and I do :) Yes it reminds me Songe by Goutal (that I own) but I find this one more sweet, rounder and less sharp than Songes. The dry down of Un Bel Amour d'Ete smells more like warm skin under the sun that you rubbed with tropical flowers and vanilla than a perfume. In this sense, it's amazing. It's soft, inviting, positive. Brings a smile to your face. Beautiful, one of the best fragrance I smelled recently. I think it's also a fairly easy reach as a fragrance. Already bought myself a full bottle. In the sea of overpriced niche perfume brands this brand stands out for sure. 130$ for 50ml is fairly decent price considering the quality of their offerings. It's also relatively long lasting on my skin but does not project that much which makes it a great intimidate and delicate fragrance. Beautiful.

I’ve been wearing this for all of 24 hours and am ready to throw out all my other perfumes and just wear this. Okay, I won’t actually do that, but that’s how this makes me feel ~ giddy with a crush. It’s soft and alluring but the cumin and turmeric bring a complexity and sexiness to this that keep it from being just another floral sunny fragrance. The white flowers are SO creamy, not sharp or pissy. I understand that the initial blast might be a lot for some, but I promise it doesn’t last long, and is worth the journey for the drydown. The lasting power is good on this as well. Edit: I get loads of compliments every time I wear this. I literally have friends saying, “sorry but I’m going to keep hugging you because you smell too good” !! I don’t wear perfume for compliments but who doesn’t love to hear how good they smell ?

Sumptuous, tuberose-inflected gardenia that's as creamy as can be, with yellow-floral brightness keeping the bouquet nuanced and multi-faceted. The cumin feels subtle to my nose, but it's there, ever-so-slightly animalic, keeping the perfume alive and alert together with a touch of that warm earthiness that turmeric lends. Because of the spices and the vanilla-sandalwood base (which never overpower the blend), the perfume always feels dense, not transparent like, say, Dusita's Melodie de l'Amour. But despite the warmth and the density, the florals are so radiant that it still feels like something you could wear on a sunny summer vacation. The last time I wore it was a bright day, I was walking around the city running errands and it sprang to life with the sun on my skin. Lovers of creamy florals will adore this.

The dry down is absolute gorgeousness. Tropical golden buttery florals with a sweet-tart edge. I want to crawl inside this beautiful world and drift on its waves of bliss. It lasts for several hours. When I first spray on, I get a bouquet of white flowers - elegantly nostalgic. This lasts for 30 minutes or so. The next 90 minutes are more cumin-forward. Heavy and blunt. Not repulsive, but I start to wonder why oh why did I choose this fragrance. Where was the magic I remembered?! This is clearly my least favorite part of Un Bel's journey. Just when I've gotten on with my day and stopped sniffing my wrists with sullen disappointment, I get a whiff of something absolutely wonderful. And I remember why I love this perfume so very much. The dry down lasts and lasts. A beautiful flowery masterpiece.

This opens with a flood of tropical yellow florals ylang ylang and champaca, almost tickles your nose with that pollen feeling. Then I picked up on the cumin almost instantly, along with some vanillic sweetness. Now, historically I do not get along well with cumin notes in fragrance, it always pulls B.O. adjacent on my skin. And for a moment the sugariness from the vanilla muddled with the skanky spicy edge from cumin is almost cloying. But then the scent gets quieter and I have to say as the dry down develops that cumin does something really magical and sexy on skin. This is a girlie summer floral with a dash of sweatiness that gives it some interest.

What an intoxicating potion. This is a sweltering night under the stars, surrounded by the scent of sultry tropical flowers and romance in the air. Very intense and carnal, it brings honeymoons to mind 😉. The cumin and turmeric are so fabulously done here. No funky body odor, heavy spice, filth, or anything offensive. It's just a very erotic heat. I love many of the fragrances in the This Reminds Me section, but this reminds me of none of them. This is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece in its own right. An indulgent tropical treat for the senses. Just love. Oh, why did I only buy a 50ml of this? 😢

This fragrance has deservedly garnered great attention this spring of its release. It's so intriguing to see perfumer Marc-Antoine Corticchiato use dominant notes such as the SE Asian yellow florals champaca and ylang-ylang that are outside of his regular (Mediterranean-focused) wheelhouse, but it shows what a fine artist he is. The florals produce a kind of heady romantic accord that is edged enough by the cumin so that it's not too over-the-top (for my nose, at least). It's also very powerful, with great sillage and longevity. Glad to see such a superb house produce another winner.

This is not just stunningly beautiful, it’s genuinely exciting. To my nose, the creamy gardenia takes the lead with champaca close behind, but what really keeps it from being just another pretty floral is that touch of cumin. It’s not very cumin-forward (for those who might be wary of the note); in reality, it feels more like a subtle accent that spices up the creamy florals giving just enough contrast to keep things continuously interesting. It’s my ultimate summer vacation scent (right up there with Lys Mediterranee).

This is the most balanced and intoxicating perfume I've ever tried. If you like this genre of floral perfume, then you'll be in for a discovery! Everything is smooth from the beginning to the end. It's sensual and warm, but it has a light weight, it feels like silk. It has a touch of vintage but it's not the dominant here. It's zen, it's erotic, it's inviting, it takes your breath away. Especially in the heat, it becomes an elixir that you want to inhale when you wake up and when you fall asleep. Just 10/10

Discovered this gem at Esxence—a stunning white floral fragrance dominated by lush gardenia notes. It strikes a perfect balance—neither too heavy nor overly sweet—with a refreshing touch of magnolia. For some reason my nose picked up a hint of something akin to tuberose, but may be it is my imagination playing tricks. Other than that, gardenia, through and through. Vanilla is quite prominent too. This blend feels like classic yet modern, very much in style of Parfum d'Empire

I'm finally using the sample I had bought after reading reviews on Fragantica. I had smelled it in colder weather and found nothing special about it. Revisiting this later in warmer weather (but not too warm), I find it very aromatic and really pleasant. I can smell the cumin note which supports the floral notes in a good way (cumin can be tricky). This is really well done and I'm enjoying this. Amazing!

Parfum d’empire Un Belle Amour D’ete (2024) - Fracas Jicky - Speechless. Mesmerized. In Love. #marcantoinecorticchiato creates the meeting point of this luscious, sexy and indolic Tuberose & Champaca combination together with a Lavender & Civet accord. As it dries down, it gives off a definite Jicky vibe with more Tonka-Vanilla tones. Everything is done so well and transitions so effortlessly.

I pick up mostly gardenia and cumin. Like the comment below, I’m also getting some tuberose which isn’t listed. The white florals aren’t heady at all and the cumin gives it a slight gourmand vibe. Just enough to keep you intrigued and think “hmmm what is that?”. This is lovely.

I wanna smell like... Elegance. Refinement. Perfume with a Capital P. Seamless poetic movement in a bottle. This floral sunshine absolutely soars on warmed skin. Where you do not know where you or your lover's touch begins.