Equinox Bloom

I got a decant of Equinox Bloom on a whim because I love the name, and it was a lucky guess: the scent is as good as the name, and I fell in love with it as soon as I sniffed it. Sugared white florals can be so deliciously intoxicating if done well, and they really are here. As others have mentioned, it's very well balanced: as sugared as this fragrance is, it's not "sugary", if that makes sense - very sweet, yes, but not overwhelming so. And the floral notes are wonderfully done as well, I get mostly frangipani but jasmine and orange blossom are there too, and it all goes together terrifically well. Altogether it makes for just the kind of semi-gourmand I love in the colder seasons, although (again, despite the heavy dose of sugar), this one is light enough to be worn any time from early fall to late spring. I understand what others have mentioned about it being reminiscent of tea without actually smelling like or containing a tea note...delicious black tea with lots of brown sugar in a room full of flowers. Lovely! I wouldn't be surprised if my little decant turns into a full bottle at some point.

I wasn't really impressed the first time I sprayed this perfume, because I found it a bit weird, but maybe it's because I tested this along with MFK's Baccarat. Everyone knows the hype on Baccarat, and maybe it affected me too (but I ended up buying nothing after all) I kept the blotter with me for a day, and I quite liked the dry down... But I need association for a perfume to get my love... So this wasn't really in my buying list. Very much later I was reminded of this perfume when I had a breakfast morning tea. And I was struck down because I happen to love tea very much... very very very much.... Hence I decided to buy this offering, and when I imagine hot black tea with brown sugar in the cooler day, I came to appreciate this perfume even more. For me this is like wearing a sweet black tea. The weird thing about this perfume instantly became niche quality for me. The projection is just moderate, but it lingers for a day. So wearing this for me feels like having sweet black tea all day long. Now that's what I really call love.

It smells extremely familiar...like a floral variation of some of the praline-centered Parfumerie Generale creations. And I like it. I find my primary complaint about Penhaligon's perfumes is that they are anemic, limp, blink-and-you'll-miss them things. But this is stronger and more interesting than most of their offerings, and definitely a welcome change in tune while simultaneously remaining loyal to their pastoral-England aesthetic (despite the fact that the flowers are ones you won't find in an English garden). The floral notes juuuuust avoid smelling old lady-ish. The sugar, while definitely intensive, doesn't go over the top. Excellent balance. Perhaps they're using better quality raw materials. Either way, well done! One spray will do you just fine. This seems like a perfume that would be very easy to over-apply.

Equinox Bloom by Penhaligon’s is indeed a unique sweet fragrance that stands out in the world of perfumes. The scent opens with a creamy and comforting blend of Chantilly cream and sugar, creating a gourmand effect that feels cozy yet sophisticated. What makes it unique is the floral twist—it combines delicate notes of violet leaves, frangipani, and orange blossom, adding a soft, powdery, and slightly tropical sweetness. The overall result feels indulgent, like a high tea experience with scones, cream, and fragrant flowers. It’s not overly sugary or cloying; instead, it has a warm, balanced sweetness that feels elegant. Perfect for someone looking for a scent that’s both comforting and distinctive.

Equinox Bloom is like having sugared frangipani tea in a green garden. Dreamy, mesmerising, effortless, and natural as if it's the scent of the most beloved and prettiest one. It leans gourmand but is still in the floral category. I've fallen so hard didn't prepare for this and already bought a backup bottle. Update: Every time I wore this for a walk, I always got some insects swarming around as well as on my clothes back home 😂 (also happened with Diorissimo). Does not project much but has great sillage and a lovely scent trail which is perhaps because of Ambroxan.

I received this as a sample with a purchase of Malabah. I was surprised at the strength and sweetness of this. The first thing that you smell are the brown sugar and the florals. But there is definitely an Oriental base. And I am also getting a green/herbal note, too. I believe it must be the violet leaf and hortensia. To me the green notes and the base keep this from being just another gourmand. I like it and may make it my going out fragrance, as it would be too potent for my conservative workplace. And my normally oblivious husband noticed I smelled good.

Where do you people take perfumes that smell like “spit” “canned tuna”?? Stop posting reviews about something you’ve never tried. I own this fragrance and I adore it. It’s light, floral/vanilla/burnt sugar/bright and very beautiful perfume. Easy to apply throughout the day for any occasions. It’s a crowd pleaser that won’t upset anyones nose. This review is based on a whole month of wearing it, purchased my full size bottle from the authentic source. If you get a good price it very well worth it!

Sweet/floral,delicate and almost gourmand. Start with neroli,then become covered with delightful floral notes. A few minutes later evolves jasmine, which gives the fragrance a touch of softness and innocent,very delicate. He feels the spring,its harmony and beauty. This beautiful parfum in my opinion.. contains all this ... very evocative and well done, definitely much different than other. I really love this perfume❤!!! Sillage: 6.5/10 Longevity: 7.5/10 Scent: 9./10 Overall: 9.5/10

Love at first glance ...spray! This well belanced niche fragrance, it's what I prefer of Phenaligons perfums. It's so different from all Phenaligons! It's young,sparkling, joyous, an energetic opening for sure. Cheer you up.I love it. Appena spruzzato è stato amore a prima vista. Un apertura decisamente energetica, primaverile che toglie l'inverno da dosso. Una fragranza ben bilanciata, solare, allegra vivace. Mette il buon umore! I love it!!

This smells good! A floral that has been sugared but not too sweet to make it smell cheap/flirty. I am picturing a woman who's highly agreeable, selfless and warm-hearted who will wear this. The twist is that she's also intelligent and rich. What can you say wrong about that Miss Perfect? This is that perfume, that scent. You can't dislike her, it would be a sin and selfishness/enviousness on your part.

A fantastic, tea fragrance without any tea listed at all. It is refreshing and an idealist spring in a bottle. It has almost no scent on paper but on skin it sings. It's quite light and appropriate for the warmer months. Really dainty, feminine and soft. Lovely. The brown sugar warms up on the skin nicely making it a likable fragrance for the early spring and late fall as well. Really I adore it. 8.5/10

Such a beautiful perfume. I would not necessarily describe it as gourmand but I do detect some milkiness despite milk not being listed as a note. It smells like jasmine milk tea sweetened with brown sugar, drank in a floral garden on a sunny spring day. Very feminine and pretty. Lasts a whole day on my skin.

Gorgeous and elegant lightly sweet floral scent. I would call this more yellow floral than white. Smells very similar to Beige by Chanel, but replace the soapiness with sugar. Unfortunately, it is also far weaker than Beige and almost immediately becomes a skin scent.

This reminds me of a wealthy young duchess having tea in her grandmother's Garden covered in flowers. She has her tea and she adds a ton of cream and brown sugar to it. It is so sweet in a refined way and very delicious. Ultra feminine in my opinion.

Green and sweet and slightly savory. It reminds me of some type of pastry, but also of a nice bouquet of some exotic flowers. Such unique usually scent! Definitely unique, but somewhat strange. Follow me on IG: scent.guide

I received this from my husband as a Christmas gift. It is perfect for Summer; sweet , yet gorgeously soft floral. It only lasts a couple hours on my skin, however, the opening is so lovely I'm happy to regularly respray.

Sweet, shy, white floral...very spring/summer...like a basket of flowers on a table with afternoon tea...lots of sunshine coming in the windows...I like this, and I am not a big white florals kind of girl...

Signature scent worthy. Gone, gone forever :(

Equinox Bloom is an odd chimera of a fragrance. I'm not sure what it's trying to be; some ad copies say it's inspired by springtime blooms, others put more of an emphasis on the concept of afternoon tea. It certainly smells a little confused. This strange mix of ideas results in a peculiar fragrance: a fresh, sugared-gourmand floral. To me it's equal parts early spring blossoms and sugary lemon tea. Each whiff I get seems different: sometimes it's the freshly bloomed flowers against a cold spring air (almost crisp, like a florist shop smell) and sometimes it's the sweet brown sugar. These two scents don't mesh very well, they seem to sit more side-by-side as opposed to merging into one cohesive fragrance. All in all, Equinox Bloom is interesting, if a little strange. But I did enjoy experiencing it.

I thought Penhaligon's only had old-fashioned scents, but this is very modern. It's also complex and belongs to the niche category. I can sense neroli, jasmine and orange blossom, which create the "bloom" factor and frangipani and other sweet notes that make it sweet. I think that's very interesting how it's balanced between fresh white flowers and sweet gourmand notes. Even if you are not a Penhaligon's fan, this is worth a try.

Reminds me of fudge, the type you usually find in Cornish shops. Fudge mixed with white floral notes. Frangipani here is very prominent, and perhaps this is the note many people mention as unpleasant. It does indeed remind me of the smell of a swimming pool or a damp room that has been treated with bleach. Sillage is sweet, floral and fresh. Beautiful and whimsical

A silky dressed english young lady is walking in a spring sunday afternoon... this is what comes in my mind when I smell Equinox Bloom. A flowery gourmand fragrance completely different from the gourmand fragrance I smelled before. I really enjoy it.

A pretty, sweet & soft spicy ( comes from the tea note i think) perfume . Opening is a blast of orange blossom then comes beautiful jasmine & sweet frangipini . Its sweet but not overpowering , perfectly balanced and beautiful.

Penhaligon’s Equinox Bloom🌸 this perfume does not have a character that I find appropriate, the bottle design and smell always remind me of Jane Austin's "Pride and Prejudice" book. Pride and Prejudice is a book written at the beginning of the 19th century. The notes are not that complex or too much. It is a very simple, soft and calm fragrance. Just like the noble women of the Victorian Era; innocent, mild-tempered, sedate and elegant. At first, you doubt the permanence of such an elegant and simple fragrance, but from the moment you start carrying it on you, you begin to realize that it is not so silent and volatile at all. Interestingly, it stays on the skin all day and continues to make itself felt from opening to closing. If we come to his notes; After making a green-floral opening with neroli, hydrangea and violet leaves, the sweeter and gourmand flowers, frangipani, jasmine and orange blossom come into play. Base notes include brown sugar, ambroxan and benzoin. For some reason, I smell a lactonic smell, although it is not in the notes described. Sometimes it smells like tea with milk. I like this version too and I think it is the smoothest perfume I have ever had. Like satin, it has no rough sides. However, do not be fooled by this softness and smoothness and do not miss your dose. When you miss a dose, it becomes extremely aggressive and migraine can turn into an aggravating state.

I am quite undecided about this perfume after sampling on numerous occasions. Its definitely sweet and sugary. I once asked a friend to give me their thoughts. They said it smelt like boiled vegetables. Since they have said that I cannot help but smell it too. The opening has a smell that reminds me very much of green vegetables being steamed. The good news is that this goes away quite quickly on my skin and the sweetness takes over. Often during the day I capture the smell in my imagination of various fragrances. This is one that often catches up in my imagination. I think the major issue with this is it's complexity. Oliver Cresp is an amazing perfumer. I love his Juniper Sling and love how it switches from Juniper to Cherry and sugar. I feel that Equinox Bloom also transitions quite well in it's various stages. After 10 minutes the sweetness really does begin to develop. From a wearer's perspective this is an interesting creation. I feel it's similar to Ostara in the fact that is is a fragrance of stages. Not all are enjoyable yet you have to experience each to get to the next. This is a fragrance that I would not purchase at this stage as I do not feel it is amazing and well suited to myself. I think its one that's well suited to someone artistic and slightly more European. Although based on England I feel that it is slightly more cultured. It in no way reminds me of English Tea. Instead it reminds me more of a french cafe. I think the problem with this perfume is that it is trying to say too much and suffers from a lack of identity. Maybe its a scent I will grow to love in time but for now I will keep on sampling until I get the voice in my head telling me to invest in a bottle.

I do not understand the tags or reviews here, because I get a very strong bitter neroli-frangipani smell on initial spray which is absolutely overwhelming. It's not fresh or floral at all. I scrubbed it off immediately and changed my clothes because this gave me a migraine. However, I smelt it a few days later on my clothes and it was the most amazing spicy, vanilla black tea fragrance. It smells nice, but I don't really wear such strong and rich fragrances so I probably won't buy a full bottle of this. Lothair is a much smoother sweet/spicy black tea fragrance from Penhaligons.

Just gave it a quick glance today in the apothecary department of London's most famous department store. The visuals and displays are always amazing, but I have to say this one does not excite me. It is utter 1980ies "Tutti Frutti" overdose of sweetness. Must be on trend, then, sugary sweet perfumes for the youngens, I take it. Olivier Cresp has produced lots of flops of late with notable exceptions in the past: Angel by Terry Mugler, Attitude by Armani, and Dune pH by Dior, to name a few. Sadly this won't be an exception! Next!

I was intrigued by the lovely description, but it's not for me. Strong, musky, syrupy sweet, powdery, warm. It made me feel nauseated. I thought I would like the brown sugar base note but it wasn't what I expected. Sharp, almost.

I really wanted to like Equinox Bloom: I bought it blind from Penhaligon's site, where it was described as smelling like an outdoors cream tea in spring. I can definitely see where this description comes from, and I think I would absolutely love this perfume, if it weren't for the Hermes-esque white musk and ambroxan notes; which, for my tastes completely ruin it. Admittedly, my tastes in perfume tend to be quite traditional (older Chanel, Dior, Patou, Caron etc), but white musk especially now seems to be obligatory in modern fragrances. It's a note I really dislike, and, for me, has spoiled numerous, otherwise very nice perfumes, such as this one.

well... I get a slightly powdered (iris) yellow flower gist...reminds me more of mimosa than any other of the listed flowers. the ambroxan is there too...it's a slighly green take on flowers as well. The category it's currently under i.e. 'Oriental Vanilla' seems, it's more like 'Green Floral' to me. Certainly, not a warm vanillic scent. It's okay but nothing spectacular, more likely to appeal to mainstream floral or Chanel lovers. Personally I cannot justify buying a full bottle of this.

There's no denying that I have a bit of a soft spot for the house of Penhaligon's. There hasn't been one Penhaligon's fragrance that I've disliked, and that's saying something. I have heard a lot of great things about Equinox Bloom, so I thought it about time that I tested this 2016 release. Much of Penhaligon's line is very 'prim and proper'. Equinox Bloom steers away from the usual conservative soliflores this house is known for and experiments with a heavy dose of brown sugar. This fragrance smells like white vanilla frosting on my skin. I find its sweetness oddly appealing and somewhat refreshing. Dancing playfully alongside the brown sugar; orange blossom, frangipani and jasmine provide a creamy white floral touch. Equinox Bloom is a fragrance I would recommend to young women wanting to venture away from gourmands and explore the white floral territory. Equinox Bloom is a brilliantly composed white floral without being an assault on the nose. Those that adore sugary-sweet fragrances should definitely add Equinox Bloom to their list of fragrances to try. With such exquisite packaging and excellent longevity, this fragrance is an absolute must. I personally still prefer Penhaligon's more demure floral offerings, but I am very glad to have been given the opportunity to test this stunning feminine perfume.

"Sweet Milky Tropical Tea" About 2-3 years ago I blind bought this and decided it was ok. I ended up wearing the heck out of it and am nearing the end of my 100 ml bottle. I guess I should admit to liking Equinox Bloom! It turned out to be a ‘no brainer’ sweet scent that seemed modern yet different that I could wear in every season and virtually every occasion. Yes, it does remind me of milky tea with lots of brown sugar and a posy of tropical florals with tender green shoots draped beside my tea cup. It is just so easy for me to wear. Equinox Bloom is kind of an oddball to be honest, similar to the effect of Penhaligon's other creation, Amaranthine (which I am forever missing!!) with its mixture of really sweet gourmand + floral + milky elements. I can see how this might be almost gross but I find it addicting. Given how many fragrances I have it’s a big deal that I’ve almost finished this bottle in a couple years. I have mixed feelings at the moment of whether I should purchase it again. this sweet tea with tropical florals and greens is totally addictive.... it has decent longevity and sillage for Penhaligons too... (trouble is, I'm already having to consider another back-up bottle of Seville a l'Aube....ugh, why am I so insane?)

Still deciding if I am in love with, or revolted by this fragrance. As cmarie mentioned, it is an odd chimera. Slightly gourmand? No... definitely gourmand. But is it food with flowers, or flowers with food? As in, which element stands out most? That depends on which part of journey you're talking about. The opening is probably equal parts flower and food. Fresh, flowery, sugary, cakey. It is pleasant - but not for long. As soon as it settles it comes across as strong and sickening. The juxtaposition of food and flowers is stomach-turning, at least for me. It is at this point I can detect a huge number of notes bouncing off each other, not really blending. Jasmine, sugar, cake batter, frangipani, banana, tea, green notes, rose, hortensia, etc. It is fleetingly intoxicicating and attractive. Particularly when I did not directly sniff my wrist. Holding my nose up to the place I sprayed was like "too much". When the drydown happened it was much more bearable. Even enjoyable. More flowery than foody. Fresh, creamy white flowers on something green, with sugar and cakes in the background. The frangipani is prominent. The rest of the drydown is soft and classic. An "interesting" creation.

So many mixed opinions about this fragrance! I know it just comes down to how it wears on you. I haven’t worn it enough to say I know it wholeheartedly. I will say that it is very much a resin fragrance. I haven’t had much experience with resins; it just smells deep, earthy, and almost... smoky. I understand the sweet people are talking about, but the resin and florals are so powerful, the sweet is not a strong element to me. It is something special though. It really gives the impression of going in an old house. You have a cup of tea with a bit of sugar. Then you take your sweetened tea with you to explore the house. The earthy spice and mustiness of age is very present throughout the house. You make your way to the attic and find a book with a flowers pressed in the pages. Imagine that, but all at once. I wish it happened more in stages like my fanciful description, but its all at once. Still very special... obviously if it can drum up such images.

The jasmine in this evokes not the flower so much as the green leaves used to make jasmine tea, with a lot of brown sugar! There is a slightly dated or vintage feel and greasiness I think is coming from the frangipani? If you make yourself a pot of jasmine green tea and add honey or sugar it will smell exactly like this. I bought 45 ml of this off Ebay and didn’t realise it would be a nice addition to my collection as my only other jasmine fragrance is Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise which I have 2 bottles of. I bought another backup bottle but I may want to use this sparingly given that this is discontinued. Phenomenal performance for PH with great longevity and silllage. I actually think this is a great fragrance for chilly autumn nights, imagining yourself brewing a pot of tea. Edit: due to the greasy frangipani note this is not making or breaking my collection and I will not stock up on another bottle from Ebay once I run out.

Someone mentioned an excellent balance. That is what I was expecting from a fragrance that has "equinox" in its name. To me the whole composition seems messy. Opening is divine - heavenly sweet sugar and creamy plumeria surrounded with a thin white floral veil. Alas, after a sweet and creamy opening, some weird, salty nuances start to appear. I have to admit, my skin chemistry doesn't get along too well with ambroxan, so I could be biased here, but I smell the same kind of a dry down on a paper. A little bit salty, a little bit metallic accompanied by some faint sweet (but not fresh) floral smell. Like frangipanis got picked while they were still blooming and then left to dry for a few days, along with some violet leafs. I really liked the opening though. The gourmand facets were indeed quite refined, gracious and not in-your-face.

This smells slightly dated, its a lovely frangipani with sugar, but there is also a very distinct note of dated perfume that i found in quite few fragrances of Panhaligons house. Down to the dry down and sugar cozy note and prangipani become even better together and Jasmin shows, the dated note disappears. The fragrance reminds me of few fragrances I smelled before and that is Acua e Zucchero by Profumum Roma and Tudo Azul by Anima Vinci. The quality is definitely there. Also Casta Diva by Nobile 1942 plus high dose of sugar, and Lys Soleia by Guerlain - probably the most. I would strongly suggest to try it for all who love Frangipani note.

This complex, unique scent is a brown sugar dream. I get what other people are saying about it resembling hot lemony tea. It’s a little boozy to me, and the vanilla is intoxicating. At the same time, there is a crisp quality to it that I find a bit confusing. As it wears on the skin, the sweetness becomes less forceful, and what is left is a cozy, floral scent. I’m not sure if I’d purchase a whole bottle. It’s a little too sweet for my personal taste, and is potent and complicated. I do not have a sample of this, so next time I am at a Penhaligon’s shop I would love to give it a second chance.

This one has really beautiful packaging. I get tea, brown sugar that at times smells like maple syrup on me, buttered toast, watery greenery, florals. I also get a soft muskiness. It's not nearly as sweet as I expected, in fact it's salty-sweet. Creamy, sweet-salty and rich, almost buttery but cut with the watery florals and greenery and that soft musk. I find it a slightly odd smelling gourmand, but an intriguing one that should be sampled if you like gourmands. It has good sillage on me. Test before you blind-buy in my opinion.

What. A. Beautiful. Scent. I found Penhaligon's fragrances to be unique but the first ones I smelled were just too difficult to like (Artemisia purely smells like bug spray to me, it genuinely smelt like Baygon). But this! A delight. My mother used to make jasmine tea called Sariwangi when I was a child, and this smells just like it. Anyone from Indonesia will be familiar with this tea I'm talking about. I'm really considering to buy the whole bottle during my next trip to Europe.

The "fish" smell has to do with your atomizer going bad and rust (from the metal ball) inside the cap mixing with your perfume. I've had several fragrances carry this fishy scent when i do swaps with other people...sometimes when a bottle goes bad or if it is stored incorrectly it has a "canned tuna" scent. I used to think it was the tuberose but it isn't! You need to get a different bottle or return the one you have!

I find it really interesting that someone connected this with Donna Karan Gold. That one happens to be one of my current favorites and it is spiced oriental lily where I agree with the note votes that this is primarily plumeria and brown sugar. However, I can see where they are similar in style -- both have a strong floral supported by a gormound note and an understated resin.

Smells like spring flowers, sugar and spit. Yes spit. Very unpleasant to my nose, I wish that note wasn't there as the hortensia itself would be nice. Also that sugar note is completely unnecessary, but probably just my tastes are not made for this perfume (or vica versa). Lots of jasmine on the drydown, but that funk does not subside.

I received it as a sample, been testing it all day long and so far I am not impressed at all, I mean its not bad, but to my nose and taste its just average, nothing really special, smelling it doesnt create any image in my mind as do other fragrances that I like, plus for this price I would expect something more memorable

Oh what a gem! Smells like high tea, I can clearly see where the inspiration came from. On me smells like a combination of black tea with brown sugar, frangipani and jasmin. Soft, warm and tender, elegant and classy. Spring vs afternoom tea fragrance. Simple, yet so beautiful. Love the cute bottle too.

I love this. I wish I could pour into a glass and sip myself. Like a big drink of Jasmine yes. Wonderful on rainy spring days

I'm not sure if I just got a bad bottle but I'm catching a whiff of canned tuna scent in the opening :((((