Amazing Grace

It seems Amazing Grace will forever be my comfort, my go-to, my *everyday* frag. Truly, this scent is my mother in a bottle—in the most beautiful and heartwarming way possible. I can still remember the very first time I caught its soft, radiant trail on her. I must’ve been 10 or 11, just a kid, but the memory is burned into my mind as vividly as if it happened yesterday. She had just finished getting ready, and we were about to head out for the day. I was sitting in the back seat of the car when the air-conditioning turned on and, all at once, I was hit with the most enchanting burst of bergamot and lily of the valley. I don’t even think I realized, at the time, how much I adored it. It was indirect, unconscious even—a quiet, almost magical moment of infatuation with how incredible she smelled. That first impression of Amazing Grace was so floral, citrusy, and bright, and even though lily of the valley is often seen as a more “mature” note, Philosophy’s take on it feels anything but dated. There’s something so modern, so youthful about their rendition—soft, delicate, and airy, almost like the petals of a flower brushing against your skin. It’s a fragrance I wholeheartedly believe anyone, even under 35, can pull off. Now here I am, 22 (almost 23!), and I’ve gone through at least three or four bottles of this little masterpiece. Every time I wear it, it’s like a time machine that brings me back to moments I didn’t realize I’d treasure so deeply—being in class with friends leaning over to ask, “What are you wearing? You smell so good,” or customers at work stopping mid-checkout just to compliment me. Amazing Grace has been my secret weapon, a fragrance that not only makes *me* feel confident but also leaves everyone around me intrigued. Now, I’ll be honest: the longevity isn’t the best. It fades sooner than I’d like, but it’s hard to complain when a 4-ounce bottle is so affordable, especially if you snag one on eBay or during Philosophy’s big sales. A little overspray or mid-day reapplication solves that problem effortlessly. And let me just put you on a little game-changer: if you mix Amazing Grace with Glossier You, you get the most intoxicatingly fresh, floral, musky, citrusy cloud of *heaven*. I’m not kidding. It’s like nothing you’ve ever smelled before—bright yet warm, delicate yet powerful. Trust me, you’ll be turning heads left and right. People won’t just ask what you’re wearing; they’ll beg to know. It’s that good. I had someone say if you don't tell me what that is Im gonna cry. I was like chill I gotchu. Amazing Grace, you’ve been with me for over a decade now, and I don’t see us parting ways anytime soon. You’re more than a fragrance—you’re memories, comfort, and joy in a bottle. I’ll never stop buying you. Loves you forever!

To me it is 2010s, shabby chic, high school, hopeful, twee, nostalgic. It smells like iCarly and 500 Days of Summer, like your best friend's older sister of whom you have fond memories as a babysitter. It is really sweet and floral but without being overly sugary or powdery. The best way to describe the smell is MUTED, like flower petals in water, the memory of a cozy bedroom where the walls are still light pink from when you were a kid but they're covered in posters from your favorite indie teen idols and string lights and photobooth photo strips from the 8th grade dance aka one of the best nights of your life...and then there's that weird harlequin mask on the wall from the 80s that your grandma insists on keeping because she bought it in Venice, and there's the needlepoint pillow with your name embroidered into it hanging on your door, and your childhood teddy bear...everything reminding you that you are growing up. There's a sort of grape smell, like not GRAPE grape, and not at all sour, but almost like if grapes were a flower? Or if someone drank a hibiscus flavored Lacroix after chewing grape gum and then gave you a sip and you realized they backwashed a little... I think you will like this perfume if you already like it. If you don't already like it, it's not going to impress you. It is a good perfume to wear if you are in high school and you've matured past Bath & Body Works spray of Moonlit Path or Sweet Pea (it doesn't smell anything like those). Super, super inoffensive in my opinion, as long as you don't put on too much. If you use too much it starts to get really soapy, especially as the day goes on, and the fresh floral notes fade leaving a kind of absent smell like the olfactory equivalent of a face with no eyebrows. Even though it's nostalgic it's not musty dusty or old. It lasts a long time in my experience. You could wear this perfume in a closed room and I don't think anyone would be too mad. Would recommend for teachers working with younger kids.

I’m weird. I always go to this site before buying my perfumes instead of actually smelling them at the store first but it;s never done me wrong or led me astray. I read the reviews and pored over the scent profiles of Amazing Grace before finally buying it and put it on less than a minute before deciding to post a review. After getting through that initial alcohol scent most perfumes have it quickly calmed to a gentle lean floral scent that is simply spring in a bottle. I love clean scents so this suits me to a tee. It’s not ‘grandma’ or ‘boring’ at all but it is a classic scent that is the epitome of subtlety. That’s not a bad thing. Many women wear overpowering scents that fill the room and linger for several minutes after they leave and they may be able to pull it off but that isn’t my thing. My mother always told me perfume was an intimate thing that should be noticed only when you are within someone’s personal space or within ‘hugging distance’. If everyone wore a room wide scent the world would be nothing be a lash of odor. This perfume lingers in that it leaves a subtle trail but is so clean and fresh that it doesn’t overwhelm the senses. It’s perfect for the office or everyday wear. To give you a sense of how this ranks, my other go-to’s are Perry Ellis 360 and L’air du Temps. I’d say this hits right in the middle. I can definitely see buying this again and while L’air du Temps will forever be my nostalgic favorite I can see this as taking the third spot behind 360 as my daily wear spritz. 360 is a bit more ‘soapy’ which I love but if you prefer a strong yet subtle floral this should leave you with a smile.

Perfect fragrance for a romantic date or wedding day. if it had some Ylang and more green it would smell much like yankee candle "wedding day". Opening was a ton of aldehyde and bergamot, with a hint of lemon and freesia. then quickly bloomed into a pungent mix of soapy white floral, specifically rose and lily. then dried down into a base of powdery lemony rosy musk. sillage and longevity were poor. I recommend paying for the eau du parfum not toilette it's extremely feminine and would suit a young woman under 40 (or a youthful female) because it doesn't have the complexity or depth of a mature fragrance. for work, the soap makes it inoffensive but I personally would not wear at work for fear of not being taken seriously since its very simple and girly. I can see some people voted it was like baby grace.i have both and say no, this one has far more white florals and zingy citrus and freesia. baby grace is more musky and powdery and not zingy at all. I bought a sample then instantly bought the whole eau du parfum because it's like putting on your wedding dress on your wedding day when you're young and have your whole life ahead of you, and you glance outside and see the warm sun on a summers day beaming down on your white rose bouquet. you feel loved, hopeful, excited yet fearful. butterflies in your tummy. sparkling, hopeful, fresh, romantic, exciting, you feel beautiful and feminine, youthful, loved. what I love about philosophy is the fragrances are soapy and inoffensive but have a selection of powerfully emotive notes. Recommend this!

This perfume sits so close to the skin but it is madly long lasting. I applied it at 9 am and thought it would go away by the afternoon, so that I could try other perfumes and couldn’t! Literaly the hollows of my elbows smelled like nice femenin soft freesia all day! The aroma stuck to my skin till 2 am at night. This kind of lasting power blew me away. I have the 10 ml mini, by the way, it gave me a very good impression, I wouldn’t mind buying it, it’s under $60 and so soft and femenin. I liked it, but didn’t love it. But then I thought: if I need a perfume that lasts all day and sticks to my skin as if it was permanently smelling like little flowers, this is it. Also, my daughter wanted to try it and applied 2 drops behind the ears around 2 pm, and by 8:00 when I hugged her, she still smelled like Amazing Grace quite clearly. So it must’ve lasted a whole lot more on her. That made me realize this perfume is long lasting in other people’s skin aswell.

I wish Fragrantica would have separate listings for the EDT (1996) and the EDP (2006). At the Philosophy website they have different notes lists. For the EDT they only mention bergamot, muguet and musk (in the Odelusi edition). For the EDP they have a complete notes list: top notes: bergamot, lemon, neroli; middle notes: muguet (lily of the valley), orange blossom, rose, jasmine; base notes: musk blend. No wonder I love the EDP more. When I tried them side by side at Ulta, I noticed the EDP seems more floral, while the EDT skews almost melon-y. But I enjoy both. So I purchased a gift set from eBay that includes a travel spray of the EDP and a mini spray of the EDT. Thanks to @vanillabeandrop for clarifying that this listing is for the EDP on account of the notes list. I will use the 20th Birthday Special Edition listing for the EDT.

(EDT sample) So fresh, delicate, clean, powdery. I love the burst of crisp bergamot at the start but the other top notes are kind of watered down, definitely "muted" as another user described. The florals shine beautifully in the middle. A very “clean” scent that can be used from formal midday occasions to everyday outings. It's so elegant and calm, like going for a facial with cucumbers on your eyes. It smells like a woman you looked up to as a child. I understand why some wouldn't like this soapy, powdery quality that it holds for a while but I don't care. It doesn't make me want to sneeze it away like certain other florals would. It’s pretty simple though so don’t get it if you’re looking for a real eye-catcher of course

My favourite perfume!!! Its soft, floral, simple and just really pretty! it leans powdery without it being 'grandma' esque. Its the kind of smell that gives 'fresh out the shower' soapy vibes tied in with a beautiful fresh, floral bouquet that brings me a sense of comfort and cleanliness. I love this perfume so much I have both the lotion and the eau du parfum! It also pairs really well with rose water scents to create a beautiful soapy floral which is my personal cup of tea. I layer it with the method body pure peace shower gel and Rose from bath and body works personally. Overall i think this is a wonderful, simple scent suitable for daily wear and if you like soft florals with a hint of citrus you should give this a try.

Extremely pleasant - I don't think this could offend anyone. Subtle florals, mildly soapy, smoothed out by that musk. Amazing Grace is aptly titled - a graceful fragrance I picture on someone clean and put-together. I didn't realize how long ago this was released, and I think it has aged fantastically. Some say longevity is lacking, but I smelled this in the crooks of my elbows waking up the next morning. It still smelled beautiful. It doesn't just reduce to musk, I smell especially the freesia until the very end. Bonus that this is not drying and actually leaves the applied to areas rather smooth. A quality clean-girl gem! Excited to add this into my spring rotation. Edit: loads of compliments as well. :)

I have been using the nude rose from amazing grace line, and my husband bought me this gift set for Christmas. It’s pure perfection! A really classy soapy clean smell that just elevates my mood. It’s fresh without being creamy and lighter than air. I think it will be perfect for springtime. Sadly, the longevity is appalling- around 2 hours before it fades to nothing. It pairs really well with the lotion though. It’s a crisp, freshly ironed white shirt with minimal floral and citrus. I would love an EDP version but also quite enjoy its lightness. It’s lovely to wear to bed after a bath, comfort without heavy warmth. Refreshing is a good word for it!

One of my very favorites of all time, have used it since I was a teen but it never gets old, have been through many bottles of it over the years. The grapefruit, orange, and bergamot are such a sharp beautiful sillage, very crisp and natural, a clean and strong scent. The floral middle notes add a nice soft balance as the scent settles. The freesia, jasmine, and rose are very pretty and natural, each detectable and not one overpowering the other. The musk base is beautiful, sweet and powdery but not overpowering. Has a very clean, happy, sunny smell. Longevity is great on my skin, up to 10 hours depending on activity levels.

I absolutely love Amazing Grace, I really enjoy wearing it after a shower or going to bed, it's such a comforting, clean scent. It really reminds me of the smell of bubble bath. It's so gentle and feminine. It does smell soapy, but not in an old-fashioned way. I do think any age could wear this, I don't think it's a "grandma" scent at all. I will say it doesn't have spectacular longevity or sillage, it's quite an intimate perfume, but I quite like that about it. For me it's a cosy bedtime scent, although I have worn it during the day too. I'll definitely repurchase once I run out as I truly feel like I can't be without it.

This is an oldie but goodie. I'd had it years and years ago in my collection when I was just getting into perfume. Now having fallen way down the rabbit hole into all levels of niche, I picked up a bottle of this to smell, for nostalgia's sake, and had to buy it. I still adore this pretty, delicate easy-going floral -- it's so comforting to me and I love wearing it!! As others have noted, performance is mediocre, but for the price I can forgive it that. I think Pure Grace (which I LOVE love love!) performs a bit better. Amazing Grace is just so lovely and an easy, comforting everyday wear.

Oh my god 💖 this is me in a bottle. I’m in love with this scent. Some people may think it’s simple, but to me it’s feminine, fresh, clean, and elegant, everything I love. It feels like my signature scent, the one I want people to remember me by. I’ve tried many expensive perfumes, but nothing feels like Amazing Grace. It reminds me of ballerina slippers after a shower: soft, clean, feminine, and a little addictive. I’m so happy I found it. The only problem is that it doesn’t last very long, which is why I still choose Chanel No. 5 when I want something stronger.

It smells like a beautiful expensive soap, but it's not powdery. It's quite modern despite being vintage by now. It is a straightforward clean floral citrus musk – basic perhaps, but there can be beauty in simplicity. If you want to smell freshly scrubbed, feminine, and pretty in a "you smell good" way, not a "your perfume smells good" way, this is a scent you should try. I can't imagine anyone really disliking the smell of this. It is light and fleeting even with generous application however.

Soft & soapy rose. This scent isn't a laundry scent- but the image I get is of fresh linen & blue skies. It's classy... and as some other have mentioned, "squeaky clean." My mother & I have had many of the Amazing Grace perfumes and body products over the years- and I never get tired of smelling it. Longevity & sillage aren't great on my skin- which makes it the perfect bedtime & after-shower spritz- but not a headturner. This is the perfect non-offensive fragrance to wear close to your skin.

Perfect perfect skin scent. The opening reminds me a bit of a water park. It smells like chlorine and sunblock-y skin that's been in the sun too long. The lily does just enough to bring it back around to a nice springy fresh profile. It hardly lasts 45 minutes on my skin, though, but at least the base is a nice and inoffensive floral musk. It's good if you like a white floral but not powdery or soapy dry downs. I've yet to try the EDP but I hope that lasts longer.

This is heaven in a bottle for those who like clean but feminine smells. It is flowery and very powdery, so it does smell a like bit like makeup. In a good way. But it is does not last long. However, for me, this is a great everyday smell. Very simple and elegant. I don't get a lot of compliments with it, but all of my friends love it and say "what perfume? it's just your smell." Personally, I love it.

Amazing Grace and was my everyday fragrance for close to a decade. The soft, clean and floral fragrance is at once feminine, clean and subtle. Over time I’ve grown bored of it but it’s a reliable classic still in my rotation. I wish it lasted a bit longer, but I appreciate that isn’t overpowering for daily wear and inoffensive in most professional settings.

Delicate, clean, floral and just a little musky. Does it remind me a bit of a floral soap? Yes, but the finest soap around. (Why yes, I do buy the body wash.) If you're looking for a strong smell, don't pick this! But as someone with a very sensitive nose who loves more subtle and delicate smells, this is an all-time classic.